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TRUE STORY 

OF ■ : 



THE MARTI 






AND 



St. Vincent Calamities 

BEING A 

VIVID AND AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF THE MOST 
APPALLING DISASTER OF MODERN TIMES. 

INCLUDING AN 

ACCOUNT OF THE DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII AND HERCU- 

LANEUM AND ACCOUNTS OF ALL THE MOST 

NOTED VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS 

By Prof. JOHN RANDOLPH WHITNEY 

The Well-known Geologist and Scientific Writer 



ILLUSTRATED WITH SUPERB PHOTOGRAPHIC VIEWS OF SCENES, 
SHOWING THE TERRIBLE CALAMITY 



NATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. 

239, 241, 243 South American St. 
Philadelphia 



the: library of 
congress, 

Two Copies Received 

1902 

Copyright entry 
( CLASS #~-XXc. NO. 
J COPY B. 



ENTFREO ACCORDING TO ACT O"^ CONGRESS IN THE YEAR 1902, BY 

ROBERT A. PITTS 

iN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON, D. C,,V. S. A* 







0- 



PREFACE. 

THE appalling catastrophe which visited the Islands of Mar- 
tinique and St. Vincent, resulting in the destruction of many 
5^ towns and nearly fifty thousand lives, horrified every part of the 
world. The heart of humanity shudders at every calamity which 
results in the sudden death of thousands of people. 

Without warning, the terrible volcanic eruption overwhelmed 
the doomed cities. In the brief space of only a few minutes a 
large part of the Island of Martinique was turned into an unparal- 
leled scene of devastation. Few persons escaped the horrible 
fate that swept a vast multitude to sudden death. 

Mont Pelee, a great volcano long ago believed to be extinct, 
suddenly awoke from the sleep of ages. Out of the mouth of 
the treacherous crater, around which nestled the summer villas 
and the pretty homes of the wealthy French West Indian resi- 
dents, suddenly belched forth smoke and flame. Then, like the 
discharge from a Titanic gun, the volcanic substances leaped 
thousands of feet into the air and from the awful cauldron's 
mouth poured down rivers of fire swallowing everything that lay 
in their path to the sea. Torrents of red-hot ashes and lava burned 
the country for miles around. 

Mont Pelee, which had been quiet for half a century, gave 
the first indication of its fatal activity on Thursday, May i, 1902, 
a week before the great eruption. Strange noises were heard on 
that day from the region of the mountain. At midnight of May 
3, the volcano belched forth volumes of boiling mud. Disturb- 
ances were intermittent after that, doing little damage outside a 
radius of two miles, until Ascension Day, Thursday, May 8. At 
7.50 o'clock on the morning of that day the people of St. Pierre 
heard a terrific explosion from the volcano. A volume of molten 
metal and lava was thrown off, enveloping the city and all the 
shipping in the harbor in one mighty flame. Simultaneously 
the tidal wave swept the roadstead. 



4 PREFACE. 

With a single blast of the torrent of flame St. Pierre, cover- 
ing an area of four miles by two, was on fire. By land and sea 
all was one seething mass of flame. Nothing escaped. Animal 
and vegetable life was snuffed out in a moment. Seventy-two 
hours after the disaster thousands of charred bodies were lying 
dead on the water front. 

A relieving party from the French warship Suchet, on the 
afternoon of Thursday, the day of the disaster, went ashore. Her 
captain estimated the loss of life at 40,000, incuding Governor 
Mouttet and wife, the General commanding the troops, and one 
hundred soldiers, who were armed before the disaster to pacify the 
panic-stricken people and prevent looting. 

Huge trees were torn up by their roots and laid flat, scarce 
one being left standing, and other indications showed that the wave 
of fire must have passed over this section of the island at extreme 
hurricane velocity. Every house in St. Pierre, not excepting those 
that were most solidly built of stone, is absolutely in ruins. The 
streets were piled twelve feet high in debris and hundreds of 
bodies could be seen in every direction. 

It is known that many persons who sought refuge in the 
cathedral perished, but their bodies were scarcely visible, being 
covered with debris. The sites of the club, the bank, the bourse, 
the telegraph office and the principal shops — everywhere was the 
same scene of utter desolation and death. 

The Island of St. Vincent was also shaken to its centre by a 
terrible convulsion of Mont Soufriere. Vast destruction in this 
island was caused by the raging eruption, and here alone more 
than two thousand persons lost their lives. 

This work depicts the scenes following the deadly eruptions 
of Mont Pelee and Mont Soufriere, the frantic efforts of the 
inhabitants to escape their doom, the present appearance of the 
ruined cities and a full description and history of the Islands of 
Martinique and St. Vincent. It also narrates the magnificent upris- 
ing of people everywhere to afford relief to the survivors of the great 
catastrophe, including President Roosevelt's message to Congress 
recommending an appropriation of $500,000 by our Government. 



CONTENTS. 



INTRODUCTION 



CHAPTER I. 

Appalling Calamity in the Islands of Martinique and 
St. Vincent. — Tragic Death of Many Thousands of 
People. — Description of the Islands. — Frightful 
Scenes of Devastation 65 

CHAPTER II. 

Graphic Accounts of the Great Disaster. — Tragedy 
Completed in the Brief Space of a Few Minutes.— 
Despatches from United States Officials.— Volcanic 
Islands Described. — Urgent Appeals for Help ... 82 

CHAPTER III. 

Martinique City a Heap of Smoking Ruins. — Streets 
Filled with Charred Bodies. — Large Portions of 
the Island Engulfed with Lava. — St. Vincent also 
Devastated. — Relief for the Sufferers ... ... 100 

CHAPTER IV. 

Awful Scene in St. Pierre — Whole Mountain Appeared 
to Blow Up. — Ships Swallowed by an Enormous 
Wave. — Harrowing Tales by Eye-Witnesses of the 
Burned City • • . . . 121 

CHAPTER V. 

President Roosevelt's Special Message to Congress, — 
Large Appropriation by Our Government for Imme- 
diate Relief of the Survivors. — Additional Details 
of the Terrible Calamity. — Scenes Baffling De- 
scription 139 

5 



6 CONTENTS. . 

CHAPTER VI. 

PAGE. 

Two Thousand Persons Killed in St. Vincent. — Great 
Alarm as to the Fate of the Island.— Awful Sudden- 
ness of the Calamity at St. Pierre. — Graphic Stories 
Told by Witnesses of the Deadly Explosion . ... 157 

CHAPTER VII. 

Narratives of Personal Experiences. — Tourist Portrays 
Mont Pelee. — Stormy History of Martinique. — 
Graphic Letter from a Consul's Wife. — Great Dis- 
asters from Volcanic Eruptions. — Scenes in the 
Stricken Islands 179 

CHAPTER VIII. 

St. Vincent Volcano in Active Eruption. — Terrific Can- 
nonade Heard One Hundred Miles Away. — Kings- 
town Showered with Hot Ashes and Pebbles . . . 203 

CHAPTER IX. 

For Weeks Mont Pelee Belched Clouds of Smoke. — Splen- 
did and Appalling Phenomenon. — Incessant Roar of 
Awful Thunder. — Terrors Paralyze the Helpless 
Inhabitants < ... 221 

CHAPTER X. 

New Horrors Revealed Daily. — Mont Pelee Again in 
Active Eruption. — Rivers and Lakes Dried Up.— Hiss- 
ing Pits of Lava. — Physical Changes Made by the 
Outbreaks 239 

CHAPTER XL 

Ship Tossed by Giant Waves Without a Breath of 
Wind. — Story of the Captain of a Danish Vessel. 
Long Hours of Terror Endured by the Crew. — 
Wreck of the Ship Roddam 264 




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THE NATIVE QUARTERS, ST. PIERRE, MARTINIQUE 



CONTENT& 7 

AGE, 

CHAPTER XII. 

Martinique Under a Mantle of Darkness.— Life on the 
Island Almost Unendurable. — Extreme Sufferings 
of the Refugees. — Famine and Disease Ravaging 
St. Vincent 289 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Continued Panic at Martinique. — Mont Pelee Again in 
Eruption. — Thrilling Escape of a Party of American 
Sailors. — Hundreds of Bodies Afloat in the Sea . 305 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Terrible Panic Follows Fresh Outbreak of Mont Pelee. 
Frantic Efforts to Escape to the Ships at Fort-de- 
France. — Many Rescued from under the Shadow of 
the Death-Dealing Mountain 329 

CHAPTER XV. 

Women and Children Hemmed in by Tide of Lava.— Eace 
to face with a terrible doom. — expedition to mont 
Pelee.— Child's Pathetic Tale 347 

CHAPTER XVL 

North American Volcanoes. — Famous Mount Shasta.— 
Northern Arizona. — Volcanic Glass.— Craters on the 
Pacific Coast 360 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Ridge of Panama and the Andes.— The Great Canyon- 
California and Utah.— Yellowstone Park.— Mexico 
and South America 383 

CHAPTER XVIIL 

Amazing Phenomena Connected with Volcanoes and 
Earthquakes. — Fiery Explosions and Mountains in 
Convulsions. — Changes in the Surface of the Earth. 401 



e CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Great Volcanic Eruptions in Many Parts of the World, 
Story of Mt. Etna. — Convulsions in South America 
and Elsewhere 419 

CHAPTER XX. 

Eruption of Etna in the Year 1865. — Mutual Dependence 
of all Terrestrial Phenomena.— Sea Coast Line of 
Volcanoes.— The Pacific "Circle of Fire," ..... 438 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Torrents of Steam Escaping from Craters.—Gases Pro- 
duced by the Decomposition of Sea-water.— Hypoth- 
eses as to the Origin of Eruption. — Growth of 
Volcanoes ....... 457 

CHAPTER XXII. 

Various Kinds of Lava. — Beautiful Cave in Scotland. — 

Crevices in Volcanoes. — Snow Under Burning Dust . 477 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Volcanic Projectiles. — Explosions of Ashes. — Subordi- 
nate Volcanoes. — Mountains Reduced to Dust.— 
Flashes and Flames Proceeding from Volcanoes . . 493 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

Volcanic Thermal Springs. — Geysers. — Springs in New 
Zealand.— Craters of Carbonic Acid . 507 

APPENDIX. 

Death Came to Everyone in St. Pierre with the Quick- 
ness of a Cannon Shot.— Sulphurous Gas Permeated 
Every Place and was Exploded at Once.— Priests' 
Bodies Found in the Attitude of Prayer. — Calm, 
not Panic, Written on the Lines of Dead Faces. — 
Daring Feat of Professor Heilprin in Ascending 
Mount Pelee After the Eruption 513 




INTRODUCTION. 

N MAY 9th. the civilized world was shocked by meagre 
telegraphic reports to the effect that the City of St. 
m Pierre of Martinique, a French possession in the 
West Indies, had been destroyed by a sudden erup- 
tion of the volcano Mont Pelee. Cable communica- 
tions with all the neighboring islands had been interrupted by 
the terrible upheaval accompanying the eruption. 

On the morning of May 10, the horrible news was con- 
firmed with the additional reports that the shipping in the 
harbor had been destroyed and that the loss of life was esti- 
mated at 25,000 souls. 

On May nth, the American public began to receive 
detailed reports, showing that the entire top of the mountain 
had been blown off and that probably 40,000 persons had per- 
ished. Boiling mud, carrying molten stone and exhaling inflam- 
mable gases, had fallen upon the City of St. Pierre like a great 
blanket of death, and had destroyed the entire community within 
the space of three minutes. There had been no time for panic. 
One moment of agony and all was over. 

On May 12th, the cable service had been very much improved 
and the additional news was received that Soufriere, a volcano on 
the neighboring island of St. Vincent a British possession, was 
active ; that neighboring islands were feeling the tremors, and 
that the entire group of the Lesser Antilles were in a state of 
panic. 

President Roosevelt, with his splendid judgment and mag- 
nificent enthusiasm laid before Congress immediately in a special 
2-MAR 17 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

message the demands of the stricken community upon our neigh- 
borly sympathy and by his direction government vessels were 
loaded with supplies. 

Thirty-six hours after the first report of the calamity the 
Senate passed a bill appropriating $100,000 as a nucleus of the 
relief fund. An obj ection in the House caused a delay of from 
Saturday to Monday ; but Congress promptly rebuked the 
objector by doubling the amount of appropriation and sending it 
back to the Senate where the amount of $200,000 was promptly 
confirmed and sent back to the President for his approval. The 
amount was later increased to $500,000. 

HOW EXPLOSIONS OCCUR. 

Professor Milne, of Chicago, one of the greatest authorities 
in the world on volcanic phenomena, divides eruptions into two 
classes : 

Those that build up slowly. 

Those that destroy most rapidly. 

" The latter," he says, " are the most dangerous to human life 
and the physical face of a country. Eruptions that build up 
mountains are periodical wellings over of molten lava, compara- 
tively harmless. But in this building up, which may cover a 
period of centuries, natural volcanic vents are closed up, and gases 
and blazing fires accumulate beneath that must eventually find 
vent. Sooner or later they must burst forth, and then the ter- 
rific disasters of the second class take place. It is the same cause 
that makes a boiler burst." 

Professor Amos P. Brown, of the University of Pennsylvania, 
gives a very interesting description showing that Martinique was 
formed into an island by eruptions of Mount Pelee ages ago, and 
that the same forces of nature which forced up the land above the 
surface of the ocean finally destroyed the island. The distance 



INTRODUCTION. 19 

from the volcano to the sea is three miles and to the town it is 
about five miles. Several hills and ravines are spread between the 
town and mountains, which, had the explosion occurred in the cone, 
would have partly saved the former. 

HOW THE MOUNTAIN BLEW UP. 

The vast fields of hot lava which were boiling in the base of 
Pelee for years were acted upon by an inlet of water. This, no 
doubt, came through a crevice from the sea. The French Cable 
Company reported nearly a fortnight before that the sea floor near 
St. Pierre, Martinique, had dropped over iooo feet. A break in the 
earth's crust resulted. Through this the sea rushed in. Coming 
in contact with the lava bed and an immense amount of steam 
was generated. 

"Soon it became heated to an intensity of five or six tons pressure 
to the square inch. It is almost impossible to conceive its latent 
force. The area which confined it could not hold the increasing 
volume. It sought an outlet. The cap over the summit of the 
cratei proved too strong. It attacked the weakest side which was 
adjacent to the town. This side of the mountain was unable to 
withstand the strain and blew out. As long as it takes a projectile 
to shoot through the air and drop to earth j ust so long it took the 
fierce, red hot stream of molten rock and sheets of flame to fall 
upon the town. The consequent igniting of St. Pierre must have 
generated poisonous gases that resulted in the death of many vic- 
tims. The inhalation of the hot air was instantly fatal. If the 
path of destruction is anything like that of other great volcanic 
disturbances, no vegetable or animal life can survive them 
for a minute." 

It is quite certain that the people in the vicinity were warned 
in sufficient time to have escaped. More than a week before there 
was a flow of lava from a crevice near the summit. This stream 



20 INTRODUCTION. 

was carried to the sea through a deep ravine that intervened 
between Pelee and St. Pierre. Had it not been for this outlet the 
lava would in all probability have flowed down to the town. 
Previous to this eruption there were violent tremblings of the 
earth, and more or less earthquakes. Such manifestations usually 
precede the tragic climax of a volcano in full action. 

THE MODERN POMPEII. 

St. Pierre, Martinique, the modern Pompeii, was the largest 
town, and the commercial center of the French West Indies, being 
well built and prosperous. Its population was about 25,000. The 
city was divided into two parts, known as the upper and lower 
towns. The lower town was compact, with narrow streets, and 
unhealthy. The upper town was cleaner, healthier and hand- 
somely laid out. There was in the upper town a fine botanical 
garden and an old Catholic college, as well as a fine hospital. 

The Consuls resident at St. Pierre were : For the United 
States, T. T. Prentis ; Great Britain, J. Japp ; Denmark, M. E. S. 
Meyer ; Italy, P. Pliosonneau ; Mexico, E. Dupre ; Sweden and 
Norway, Gustave Borde. 

There were four banks in the city — the Banque de la Mar- 
tinique, Banque Transatlantique, Colonial Bank of London and 
Credit Foncier Colonial. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ISLAND. 

The Island of Martinique has the same general character- 
istics as its nearest neighbors, with some peculiarities of its own. 
Its extreme length is about forty-five miles from northwest to 
southeast, and the main part of it is in the shape of an oval, with 
rough edges, its greatest width being fifteen miles. At the 
lower end of this main part the old Fort Royal Bay — since the 
French Revolution called Fort-de-France Bay — cuts in so deep as 



INTRODUCTION. 21 

to come within six miles of meeting the inlets of Le Robert and 
Le Francais on the other side. 

The whole area of the island, near 400 square miles, is moun- 
tainous. Besides Mount Pelee, there are further south and about 
midway of the oval the three crests of Courbet, and all along the 
great ridge are the black and ragged cones of old volcanoes. 

SAVAGE VOLCANIC SCENERY. 

The mountainous interior is torn and gashed with ancient 
earthquake upheavals, and there are perpendicular cliffs, deep 
clefts and gorges, black holes filled with water and swift torrents 
dashing over precipices and falling into caverns — in a word, all 
the fantastic savagery of volcanic scenery, btvt the whole covered 
with the rich verdure of the tropics. 

The total population of the island is reckoned at 175,000, of 
whom 10,000 are whites, 15,000 of Asiatic origin, and 150,000 
blacks of all shades, from ebony to light octoroon. 

Martinique had two interesting claims to distinction in that 
the Empress Josephine was born there, as was Mme. De Main- 
tenon, the latter passing her girlhood on the island as Francoise 
d'Abigne. At Fort-de-France there is a marble statue of the 
Empress Josephine. 

Martinique became an interesting point in this country during 
the recent war with Spain. The first news of the arrival of the 
Spanish fleet of Admiral Cervera came to St. Pierre. At 9.30 
o'clock on the morning of May 11, 1898, the cruiser Harvard 
arrived at St. Pierre, and at 6 o'clock the same evening a corre- 
spondent at Fort-de-France communicated to the Harvard's com- 
mander the fact that the Spanish torpedo boat destroyer Furor 
had put into Fort-de-France. The destroyer turned out to be 
the Terror instead of the Furor, but the important fact that 
Cervera was on this side of the ocean was established. 



22 INTRODUCTION. 

From the beginning of history the habitations of men have 
been leveled or buried by earthquake shocks and volcanic erup- 
tions, and the numbers of human beings killed in this way 
passes comprehension. 

OVERWHELMED FORTY-TWO VILLAGES. 

One of the most frightful explosions of modern times was 
that of Asama of Japan, in 1883. It sent down 8000 feet a 
torrent of mud and fire from five to ten miles broad that over- 
whelmed forty-two villages. Historians have never been able to 
determine how many lives were actually lost by this explosion. 
The total ran into the thousands. 

On July 15, 1888, Bandaisan, Japan, blew up, and sent 
16,000,000 cubic yards of rock and earth into the valley beneath. 
The lava stream from its head traveled at the rate of 48 miles an 
hour and was 100 feet deep. Its width ran from five to fifteen 
miles. But only 401 persons lost their lives. 

FLAMES SEEN FOR FORTY MILES. 

On an island in the Strait of Sunda, between Java and 
Sumatra, occurred the greatest explosion ever known of Kra- 
katoa. On May 20, 1883, the eruption commenced, but the 
great explosion did not come until August 26 of that year. The 
flames from the crater could be seen forty miles distant. The 
crashing explosion which followed these flames set in motion air 
waves that traveled around the earth four times one way and 
three times the other. Every self-recording barometer in the 
world was disturbed seven times by that blow-up. These waves 
traveled at the rate of 700 miles an hour. At Borneo, 11 16 
miles distant, the noise of this eruption was heard. It was 
felt in Burmah, 1478 miles distant, and at Perth, West Australia, 
1902 miles distant. The Krakatoa explosion was heard over a 



INTRODUCTION. 23 

sound zone covering one-thirteenth of the earth's surface. Sea 
waves were created by the explosion, which 

Destroyed two lighthouses in the Strait of Sunda. 

Destroyed all the towns and villages on the shores of Java 
and Sumatra bordering the strait. 

Destroyed all vessels and shipping there. 

Killed 36,380 people. 

Raised a tidal wave at Merak 135 feet high. 

Covered 500,000 square miles of ocean with lava dust several 
inches thick. 

Submerged an island six miles square and 700 feet high in 
depth of water of 150 fathoms. 

Created two new islands. 

THE MOST DISASTROUS EARTHQUAKES IN HISTORY. 

The most disastrous earthquake of recent history was the 
great Lisbon shock, on November 1, 1755. In less than eight 
minutes almost all the houses of Lisbon were overturned, 50,000 
of the inhabitants were killed, and whole streets were buried. 
The cities of Coimbra, Oporto, Braga and St. Ubes were destroyed 
Malaga, in Spain, was largely reduced to ruins. One-half of Fez, 
in Morocco, was destroyed, and 12,000 Arabs killed. The island 
of Madeira was laid waste, and the ruin extended to Mitylene in 
the archipelago, where half the town was laid low. 

Following is a list of the principal earthquakes of history : 

345 B. C. — Twelve cities in the Campana buried and Duras, 
in Greece, destroyed, with immense loss of life. 

283 B. C. — Lysimicahie and its inhabitants buried. 

79 A. D. — Pompeii and Herculaneum destroyed. 

106 A. D. — Four cities in Asia, two in Greece, two in Galatia 
destroyed. 



24 INTRODUCTION. 

157 A. D. — One hundred and fifty cities in Asia, Pontus and 
Macedonia buried. 

557 A. D.— Constantinople partly destroyed, thousands perish. 

742 A. D. — One hundred cities in Asia, Syria and Palestine 
overturned ; immense loss of life. 

936 A. D. — Constantinople again destoyed. All Greece 
shaken. 

1089 A. D. — England thoroughly shaken. 

1.1 37 A. D.— Cautania, Sicily, destroyed; 15,000 lives lost. 

1 1 58 A. D. — In Syria, 20,000 lives lost. 

1268 A. D. — In Cilicia, 60,000 perished. 

13 18 A. D. — In England ; greatest known there. 

1456 — December 5, 40,000 perished at Naples. 

1531, February 26. — Lisbon, 1500 houses and 30,000 persons 
killed ; several neighboring towns swallowed up in the sea. 

1580, April 6. — St. Paul's, London, partly destroyed. 

1596. — Japan cities destroyed and thousands perished. 

1626, July 30. — At Naples, thirty towns destroyed, 70,000 
lives lost. 

1667, April 6. — At Schamaki, 80,000 died. 

1692, June 7. — At Jamaica, 3000 killed. 

1603, September. — In Sicily, 100,000 lives lost. 

1703 — Medod, Japan, 200,000 dead. 

1706. — Abruzzi, Italy, 15,000 perished. 

1716, May. — Algiers, more than 20,000 lost. 

1731, November 30. — One hundred thousand people buried at 
Pekin. 

1732. — Naples, 1940 lives lost. 

1746, October 28. — Lima, Peru, and Callao destroyed ; 18,000 
persons buried. 

1751, November 21. — Santa Domingo overwhelmed ; immense 
loss of life. 



INTRODUCTION. 25 

1754, September.— Cairo, loss of 40,000 lives. 

745, June 7. — Kaschan, Persia, overturned ; 40,000 people 
killed. 

1755, November 1. — Great Lisbon shock; 50,000 people 
killed at Lisbon ; 12,000 Arabs in Morocco buried, 2000 houses in 
the Grecian archipelago overturned. 

1759, October 30. — Baalbec, Syria, destroyed ; 20,000 persons 
killed. 

1773, June 7. — Santiago, Guatemala, and its inhabitants 
swallowed up. 

1783, February 4. — Towns in Italy and Sicily destroyed; 
thousands perish. 

1784, July 23. — Ezinghian, near Erzeroum, destroyed; 5000 
killed. 

1788, October 12. — St. Lucia, near Martinique ; 900 killed. 

1797, February 4. — Panama ; 40,000 people buried suddenly. 

1800-1842. — Great shocks, with awful loss of life, in Constan- 
tinople, Holland, Naples, the Azores, the Mississippi Valley, Car- 
acas, India, Genoa, Aleppo, Chile, Spain, China, Martinique and 
Guadaloupe. 

1868, August 13. — Cities in Equador destroyed ; 25,000 killed 
and property loss $300,000,000. 

1883, August 3. — Island of Ischia almost destroyed ; 2000 
lives lost. 

1883, October 20. — Krakatoa eruption in Java and Sumatra; 
100,000 lives lost. 

1884, April 22. — Earthquake general throughout England. 
1886, August 31. — Charleston, S. C. ; 41 lives lost, $5,000,- 

000 property destroyed. 

THE FIRST SHOCK OF HORROR. 

The first acceptable report of the calamity came by telegraph 
from St. Thomas, and was printed throughout the United States 



26 INTRODUCTION. 

on the morning of May 9th. It announced that the city of St. 
Pierre, the principal port of the French Island of Martinique, was 
destroyed, with all its inhabitants, at 8 o'clock on the morning of 
May 8th by a flow of lava from the volcano Mount Pelee. The 
number of lives lost was believed to exceed 25,000, and may be as 
great as 40,000. 

The whole top of the mountain was reported to have blown 
off. For three minutes lava and ashes poured down upon the 
doomed city. The panic-stricken population fled to the waterside, 
but in vain. Eighteen ships in the harbor were destroyed by 
molten lava, and the people who fled to the wharves were soon 
caught iu the awful flood and consumed. 

STEAMERS THAT ESCAPED. 

All the suburbs within a radius of four miles were destroyed. 
Cable communication with the island, as well as with the islands 
of St. Vincent, Barbadoes, Grenada, Trinidad and Demerara was 
interrupted. Steamers that escaped from the vicinity during the 
eruption reported the losses as follows : 

City of St. Pierre and suburbs, with from 25,000 to 40,000 
inhabitants. 

Steamer Roraima, belonging to the Quebec Steamship Com- 
pany, with thirty-five sailors from New York city and three West 
Indian passengers, F. luce, Mrs. H.J. Ince and Mrs. H.J. Stokes. 

Seventeen sailors of the British steamer Roddam, which, by 
slipping her anchor, escaped from the harbor at the time the city 
was overwhelmed. 

Steamer Grappler, cable repair ship of the West Indian and 
Panama Telegraph Company, and all on board. 

Governor M. L. Mouttet, of the Island of Martinique, and 
his staff colonel and wife. 

Thomas T. Prentiss, of Michigan, United States consul. 



INTRODUCTION. 27 

Aniedee Testart, of Louisiana, United States Vice Consul. 
J. Japp, British Consul. 
M. E. S. Meyer. Danish Consul. 
P. Pliosonneau, Italian Consul. 
E. Dupre, Mexican Consul. 
Gustave Borde, Swedish Consul. 
Sixteen steamers, names and nationalities unknown. 

SURVIVORS NUMBER THIRTY. 

So far as known only thirty persons were believed to have 
survived of all those who were at St. Pierre at the time. These 
were taken by the French cruiser Suchet to Fort-de-France. The 
commander of the cruiser reports that by one o'clock on Thurs- 
day the entire town of St. Pierre was wrapped in flames. He 
endeavored to save about thirty persons more or less burned from 
vessels in the harbor. His officers went ashore in small boats 
seeking for survivors, but were unable to penetrate the town. 
They saw heaps of bodies upon the wharves, and it is believed 
that not a single person in the town at the time escaped. 

The only vessel to escape from the harbor was the British 
steamer Roddam, which arrived at St. Lucia the following day. 
She got out of the harbor by slipping her cables, but lost seven- 
teen men. Her captain was very seriously injured, and was 
placed in the hospital at St. Lucia. All of his officers and engi- 
neers were dead or dying. Nearly every member of the crew is 
dead. Supercargo Campbell and ten of the crew of the Roddam 
jumped overboard at St. Pierre and were lost. 

Of the eighteen vessels destroyed in the harbor three are 
said to have been Americans. 

The Quebec Steamship Company's steamer Roraima was 
among 'those destroyed. Some of the survivors declare she 
e cploded. Others say that she was wrecked in a terrible upheaval 



28 INTRODUCTION. 

of land and sea. All of her crew, including thirty-five members 
from New York, were lost. Eight of her passengers were among 
the persons saved by the French cruiser Suchet. 

The British schooner Ocean Traveler, of St. John, N. B., 
arrived at the Island of Dominica at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. 
She reported having been obliged to flee from the Island of St. 
Vincent, British West Indies, during the afternoon of Wednes- 
day, May 7, in consequence of a heavy fall of sand from a vol- 
cano which was erupting there. She tried to reach the Island of 
St. Lucia, British West Indies, but adverse currents prevented 
her from so doing. 

The schooner arrived opposite St. Pierre on Thursday morn- 
ing, May 8. While about a mile off the volcano — Mount Pelee — 
exploded, and fire from it swept the whole town of St. Pierre, 
destroying the town and the shipping there, including the cable 
repair ship Grappler, of the West India and Panama Telegraph 
Company, of London, which was engaged in repairing the cable 
near the Guerin factory. 

The Ocean Traveler, while on her way to Dominica, 
encountered a quantity of wreckage. 

COULD, NOT APPROACH THE TOWN. 

The British royal mail steamer Esk, which arrived at St. 
Lucia, May 9, reports having passed St. Pierre the night previous. 
The steamer was covered with ashes, though she was five miles 
distant from the town, which was in impenetrable darkness. A boat 
was sent in as near as possible to the shore, but not a living soul 
was seen ashore, only flames. 

On May 9, the commander of the French cruiser Suchet 
telegraphed to Paris to the Minister of Marine, M. de Lanessan, from 
Fort-de-France, Island of Martinique, under date of Thursday, 
May 8, at 10 P. M., as follows : 



INTRODUCTION. 29 

" Have just returned from St. Pierre, which, has been com- 
pletely destroyed by an immense mass of fire, which fell on the 
town at about 8 in the morning. The entire population (about 
25,000 souls) is supposed to have perished. I have brought back 
the few survivors, about thirty. All the shipping in the harbor 
has been destroyed by fire. The eruption continues. 

" The commander of the Suchet has been ordered to return to 
St. Pierre, Martinique, with all the speed possible, and to forward 
details of the disaster to the French Government. He cannot, 
however, be heard from for twenty-four hours, as the Suchet has 
gone to the island of Guadeloupe in order to obtain provisions. 

" It was feared that M. L. Mouttet, the Governor of Martin- 
ique, has perished. He telegraphed May 7 that he was pro- 
ceeding to St. Pierre. Senator Knight is also supposed to have 
been at St. Pierre." 

" M. Bouguenot, a sugar planter of the Island of Martinique, 
received a cable dispatch this morning from Fort-de-France, 
sent by the manager of the Francais factory, announcing that 
he had ' tried to reach St. Pierre, but found the coast covered 
with ashes and the town enveloped in dust, and could not land.' " 

VESSELS HURRIED TO THE RESCUE. 

The Colonial Minister, M. Decrais, received at 6 o'clock 
the same evening two cable messages from the Secretary General 
of the Government of Martinique, J. F. G. L'heurre, sent respect- 
ively at 5 P. M. and 10.30 P. M., May 9. The earlier cable 
reported that the wires were broken between Fort-de-France and 
St. Pierre, but it was added, in view of reports that the eruption 
of Mount Pelee had wiped out the town of St. Pierre, all the 
boats available at Fort-de-France were dispatched to the assist- 
ance of the inhabitants of that place. 

The second dispatch confirmed the reports of the destruction 



30 INTRODUCTION. 

of St. Pierre and its environs and shipping by a rain of fire, and 
said it was supposed that the whole population had been annihi- 
lated with the exception of a few injured persons rescued by the 
cruiser Suchet. 

Immediately after the receipt of the above dispatches the flag 
over the Colonial Office was draped with crape and hoisted at 
half-mast. 

OUR GOVERNMENT ADVISED. CONSUL REPORTED LOST. 

On the morning of May 9, the following cablegram was 

received at the State Department : " Pointe-A-Pitre, May 9, — 

Secretary of State, Washington : At 7 o'clock A. M. on 8th inst, 

a storm of steam, mud and fire enveloped the city and community. 

Not more than twenty persons escaped with their lives. Eighteen 

vessels were burned and sunk with all on board, including four 

American vessels and a steamer from Quebec named Roraima. 

The United States Consul and family are reported among the 

victims. A war vessel has come to Guadeloupe for provisions 

and will leave here to-morrow. 

" AYME, Consul." 

The State Department has been receiving dispatches from 
commercial houses in New York, asking that a warship be sent at 
once to Martinique to afford relief. 

The consul at Martinique is Thomas T. Prentis. He was 
born in Michigan and was appointed from Massachusetts as 
Consul at Seychelles Islands, in 187 1, and later served as Consul 
at Port Louis, Mauritius ; Rouen, France, and Batavia. He was 
appointed Consul in Martinique at 1900. The Vice Consul at 
Martinique is Amedee Testart, who was born and appointed from 
Louisiana in 1898. 

The latest available figures showed that the total population 
of the island of Martinique is 185,000 people, of whom 25,000 



INTRODUCTION. 81 

lived in St. Pierre, and, according to Mr. Ayme, had nearly all 
perished. 

A dispatch to the Renter Telegram Company from Kingston, 
Jamaica, to London, after giving the details of the Martinique 
disaster already known, said : 

" Thousands were killed at St. Pierre, where a terrible panic 
prevailed. The eruption began Saturday, May 3, when St. Pierre 
was covered with ashes and appeared to be enveloped in fog. The 
flow of lava continued until Wednesday, May 7. 

" In the Island of St. Vincent the Soufriere (volcano) is 
active and earthquakes are frequent 

In response to the request of Governor Llewellyn, of the 
Windward Islands, the British second-class cruiser Indefatigable 
was dispatched from the Island of Trinidad to the Island of St. 
Vincent, by way of St. Lucia. 

OUR GOVERNMENT PROMPT TO AID. 

With an unselfishness and spontaneity that had impressed 
the representatives of foreign governments in Washington, the 
United States immediately took measures for the relief of the suf- 
ferers from the disaster in Martinique. The cruiser Cincinnati was 
ordered to proceed to the island without delay, to investigate and 
report upon the situation and extend aid to the survivors. The 
ocean tug Potomac was on her way from the naval station at San 
Juan, a few hours after the news reached our new possession of 
Porto Rico. The training ship Dixie was ordered to prepare for 
sea and sent to Fort-de-France. 

The action of the administration was indorsed and supple- 
mented by the Senate, which passed immediately a bill appropriating 
$100,000 for the relief of the distressed inhabitants of Martinique. 
This bill would have gone through the Honse with the same 



32 INTRODUCTION. 

impressive promptness as in the Senate had it not been for the 
objection of Representative Oscar W. Underwood, of Alabama. 
Mr. Underwood expressed the opinion that Congress should await 
the receipt of " official details," and it was not possible for the 
House to act until two days later, when the measure was to be 
taken up and passed. 

Sunday was an anxious day for the government. The Presi- 
dent took great interest in the disaster, but the State Department 
was unable to furnish him with any information. Consul Ayme, at 
Guadeloupe, suggested that he be permitted to proceed to Martin- 
ique, and Secretary Hay cabled this permission at once. He sailed 
on the French man-of-war Suchet, which was carrying supplies 
to the destitute. 

CRUISER SENT TO ISLAND. 

The State Department having been notified late Sunday after- 
noon that the situation in Santo Domingo was more orderly 
Assistant Secretary of State Hill called upon Secretary of the 
Navy Moody, and suggested that the cruiser Cincinnati be directed 
to proceed to Martinique. Secretary Moody had earlier in the day 
indicated to Captain Yeats Stirling, commandant of the naval sta- 
tion at San Juan, that he might send the ocean tug Potomac to 
Fort-de-France. The orders cabled by Secretary Moody to Com- 
mander T. C. McLean, of the Cincinnati, read : 

" Proceed Martinique. Render such assistance as possible. 
Use youi discretion. Report by cable when practicable. Corre- 
spondents of American newspapers can go if you are willing." 

Secretary Moody estimated that the Cincinnati could cover 
the six hundred miles separating Santo Domingo and Martinique 
within forty-eight hours. This would necessitate the Cincinnati 
steaming at a constant speed of between twelve and thirteen knots 
an hour. 



INTRODUCTION. & 

The action of the Senate upon the bill for the relief of the 
sufferers of Martinique earned for that body the warmest praise of 
officials and diplomats. Senator Fairbanks, of Indiana, offered 
the bill, which appropriated $100,000 and authorized the President 
to expend it in the " purchase of such provisions, clothing, medi- 
cines and other necessaries as he shall deem advisable, and tender 
the same, in the name of the government of the United States, to 
the government of France for the relief of citizens who have suf- 
fered by the late earthquake in the islands of the French West 
Indies." The bill authorized the Secretary of War to use the 
necessary steamships belonging to the United States to carry its' 
purpose into effect. 

Senator Fairbanks requested immediate consideration of the 

measure. 

APPEAL FOR THE ISLANDERS. 

" Let the United States lead in the act of caring for the 
stricken," said Mr. Fairbanks. " She and her people never have 
failed yet to be moved by the cry of distress which has come up 
from other lands. Let us extend our sympathy for our unfortu- 
nate fellow men and send with it from our abundant stores the 
means necessary to succor those upon whom has fallen a sudden 
and overwhelming calamity. 

" I believe that in tendering our sympathy and assistance we 
shall but interpret the wishes and purposes of the humane, gen- 
erous American people." 

The Senate unanimously passed the bill, which was taken at 
once to the House, where Mr. Underwood blocked its further 
progress. 

; ' There is no occasion," Mr. Underwood said, "for a legisla- 
tive spasm. The reports of the situation in Martinique may be 
exaggerated. Some official report should be received before action 
is taken." 

3-MAR 



34 INTRODUCTION. 

Representative Payne, of New York, nrged npon Mr. Under- 
wood to withdraw his objection. He pointed out that it was neces- 
sary to act at once. Mr. Underwood persisted, however, and the 
bill, under the rules, had to go over without action until the fol- 
lowing Monday. 
FRANCE APPRECIATES OUR HUMANITY AND FRIENDSHIP. 

On Saturday evening, May 9th, M. Cambon, French Ambas- 
sador, gave out this statement : 

"The Ambassador of France is very sensible to the very 
generous initiation of the Senate, which, upon Senator Fairbanks' 
motion, passed this afternoon the bill for the relief of the sufferers 
of poor Martinique. 

"The government of France has announced that supplies will 
be dispatched to the distressed islanders, but the distance prevents 
their reaching their destination in time for immediate distribution. 
Consequently, the action taken by the Senate and the issuance by 
the Navy Department of orders to the Cincinnati to proceed to 
Martinique and give assistance to the needy survivors, can be of 
incalculable benefit. 

" France cannot but greatly appreciate the feeling of humanity 
and friendship which prompted this generous offering to her suffer- 
ing citizens." 

RELIEF SHIPS DART FROM ALL POINTS TO SUCCOR. 

From half a dozen neighboring islands and from Fort-de- 
France ships rushed to the relief of St. Pierre, prepared to succoi 
the survivors of the stricken city if any were left to tell the tale. 

Fort-de-France, the capital, is only twelve miles away by 
water, and the ships which were hurried to the scene should have 
reached there within an hour from their departure. At Fort-de- 
France is the finest land-locked harbor in the Windward Islands, 



INTRODUCTION. 35 

with a huge dry dock, and there are always many big ships there. 
Officials of the island lost no time in dispatching vessels to the 
destroyed town, and within a few hours after the catastrophe relief 
ships were lying off the doomed town. 

From Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Dominica, St. 
Thomas and Porto Rico relief expeditions were sent. 

Speculation was now most anxious as to the fate of neighbor- 
ing villages and islands. Harry J. Tifft, of Middleton & Com- 
pany, West Indies traders, of New York, who spent several years 
at St. Pierre, and whose wife is a native, said that the nearness of 
St. Pierre to many other points in the Windward Islands ought 
to insure speedy relief and early accounts of the disaster. 

Said Mr. Tifft: "There are five villages with a total population 
of over 12,000 within the circle of destruction. Some of these 
are much nearer the volcano's crater than was St. Pierre. The 
village of Morne Rouge, a place of about 3500 people, is on the 
ridge of the mountain, just below the crater. It is the home of 
the rich plantation owners and merchants of the district. 

THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES. 

" Lying along the coast, directly to the north of St. Pierre, 
and right under the shadow of Mont Pelee, are the villages of 
Precheur, with over 4000 people ; Ste. Philomene and Fonds 
Canonuille. To the south, close at hand, is the village of Carbet. 
Back inland, but only a short distance from Mont Pelee is the 
village of Fonds St. Denis. 

"There is a population of over 40,000 within a circle drawn 
at a radius of four miles around Mont Pelee. Certainly all who 
could must have fled before the explosion of the crater on Thurs- 
day morning. 

" The whole island of Martinique is thickly populated and 
the inland country is filled with people. These get their 



36 INTRODUCTION. 

provisions mainly from St. Pierre, and with the destruction of the 
town there must be serious trouble, if not actual famine, among 
the people. 

" St. Pierre was the chief commercial town, not only of the 
island, but of the several islands close about. Fort-de-France is 
not a commercial point of any note. It has a few mercantile 
establishments, and the chief importance is the fact that the 
Government is situated there. 

MOUNTAIN WAS NOT FEARED. 

" When I lived at St. Pierre no one ever thought of having 
the least fear of Mont Pel6e. During the eight years I was there 
there was never the slightest smoking or any other indication 
that it was active. This long inactivity made the people feel 
secure, and perhaps when it began to smoke recently they con- 
sidered it as no more serious than the harmless eruption in 1851, 
and remained at their homes." 

Still the friends of Consul Prentiss and his family led the 
American public to hope for the safety of the officer. Rela- 
tives lived at Melrose, Massachusetts. They had received a 
letter from Mrs. Prentiss dated April 25, thirteen days before the 
eruption. 

In this letter Mrs. Prentiss said : 

"This morning the whole population of the city is on the 
aleft and every eye is directed toward Mt. Pelee, an extinct 
volcano. Everybody is afraid that the volcano has taken into its 
heart to burst forth and destroy the whole island. Fifty years 
ago Mt. Pelee burst forth with terrific force and destroyed every- 
thing for a radius of several miles. 

u For several days the mountain has been bursting forth, 
and immense quantities of lava are flowing down the sides of the 
mountain. AH the inhabitants are going up to see it. 



INTRODUCTION. 37 

" There is not a horse to be had on the island; those belono-ino- 
to the natives are kept in readiness to leave at a moment's notice. 
Last Wednesday, April 23, I was in my room with little Christine, 
and we heard three distinct shocks. They were so great that we 
supposed at first that there was someone at the door, and Christine 
went and found no one there. 

" The first report was very loud, but a second and third were 
so great that dishes were thrown from the shelves and the house 
was completely rocked. We can see Mt. Pelee from the rear win- 
dows of the house, and although it is fully four miles away we 
can hear the roar and see the fire and lava issuing from it with 
terrific force. 

"The city is covered with ashes and clouds of smoke have 
been over our heads for the past five days. The smell of sulphur 
is so strong that horses on the streets stop and snort and some of 
them are obliged to give up, drop in their harness and die from 
suffocation. 

" Many of the people are obliged to wear wet handkerchiefs 
over their faces to protect them from the strong fumes of sulphur. 
My husband assures me that there is no immediate danger, and 
when there is the least particle of danger we will leave the place. 
" There is an American schooner, the Anna E. J. Morse, in 
the harbor, and will remain here for at least two weeks. If the 
volcano becomes very bad we shall embark at once and go out 

to sea. 

HEARTS BREAKING UNDER THE STRAIN. 

Horror over the calamity had been the controlling feeling of 
the nation. Now came the sense of sympathy for residents here, 
whose hearts were breaking under the strain of waiting for defi- 
nite news of loved ones in the stricken island. 

The magnitude of the catastrophe was such as to appall 
everybody. It came with the suddenness of a thunderclap from 



38 INTRODUCTION. 

a clear sky. The reading public did not know that Mont Pelee 
had been showing signs of action. 

But when the first shock, was over there was an immediate 
thought of affording relief to the surviving victims of the great 
calamity. To this end active measures were immediately taken. 
Not only did our Government at Washington act promptly, but 
committees were formed in every part of the country for the pur- 
pose of collecting money and supplies. 

VICTIMS OF FALSE SECURITY. 

" Knowing the place as I do," said a resident of Martinique, 
"I have little doubt that the disaster was just as terrible as 
described, and my anxiety for the fate of my sister and 
other relatives is great. There have been several eruptions of 
Mont Pelee, but never such a terrible catastrophe as that which 
is being described in the papers. That is why I think the reports 
have not been exaggerated. Undoubtedly when the ashes began 
to fall people thought it would be unsafe to remain out of doors, 
and when the fatal eruption came were caught in their houses, 
victims of the false security engendered by previous comparatively 
harmless disturbances." 

From Stockton, California, came the sad story that Mme. 
Louise Louit, a teacher of French in that city, was prostrated over 
the news of the terrible disaster, as her sister and family resided 
in that city. On learning of the volcanic eruption she swooned, 
and was in a serious condition for hours. Her sister, Mme. Gen- 
tile ; her husband, two sons, George and Raoul, and two daughters, 
Alice and Anias, are believed to have been killed. 

Raoul Gentile was rated as one of the most brilliant lawyers 
on the island, and for the past two years he was a member of the 
French Chamber of Deputies. 

From Newark, New Jersey, came one of the most touching 



INTRODUCTION. 39 

stories. There was deep grief in the home of James McTear, of 
Newark, chief engineer of the Roraima, lost at St. Pierre. His 
bride of less than a year was completely prostrated, and in addi- 
tion was in a delicate condition. With her were her mother and 
sisters, who vainly tried to cheer her with what were feared were 
false hopes. They anticipated that she would not survive her com- 
ing ordeal. McTear, who had been in the country five years, was 
a native of Glasgow, where his father, a man of means, still lives. 
In Newark he met Nellie Walker, and about a year ago he mar- 
ried her. They settled in a flat. 

The poor wife sat surrounded by friends. Every time the 
door bell rang she started. She was not permitted to answer the 
summons, but anxiously asked "Is there any news? " 

SCORCHED TO DEATH. 

During the afternoon of the eighth the British steamer Rod- 
dam, which had left St. Lucia at midnight on the seventh for 
Martinique, crawled slowly into the Castries harbor, unrecog- 
nizable, gray with ashes, her rigging dismantled and sails and 
awnings hanging about, torn and charred. 

Captain Whatter reported that having just cast anchor off 
St. Pierre, at 8 A. M. in fine weather, succeeding an awful thunder 
storm during the night, he was talking to the ship's agent, Joseph 
Plissono, who was in a boat alongside, when he saw a tremendous 
cloud of smoke and glowing cinders rushing with terrific rapidity 
over the town and port, completely in an instant enveloping the 
former in a sheet of flame and raining fire on board. The agent 
had just time to climb on board when his boat disappeared. 

Several of the crew of the Roddam were quickly scorched to 
death. 

By superhuman efforts, having steam up, the cable was 
slipped and the steamer backed away from the shore and, nine 



40 INTRODUCTION. 

hours later, managed to reach Castries. Ten of the R jddam's 
men were lying dead, contorted and burned out of human sem- 
blance, among the black cinders which covered the ship's deck to 
a depth of six inches. Two more of the crew have since died. 

The survivors of the Roddam's crew were loud in their 
praises of the heroic conduct of their captain in steering his 
vessel out of danger with his own hands, which were badly 
burned by the rain of fire which kept falling on the ship for miles 
after she got under way. Beyond burns all over his body, the 
captain is safe, as is also the ship's agent, though he is badly 

scorched. 

DOOMED CAPTAIN'S FAREWELL. 

All the shipping in the port was utterly destroyed, the West 
Indian and Panama Telegraph Company's repairing steamer 
going first ; then the Quebec Liner, Roraima, Captain Muggah, 
of the latter, waving his hand in farewell to the Roddam as his 
vessel sank with a terrific explosion. 

The British Royal Mail Steamer Esk, which called off Mar- 
tinique at 10 P. M. May 8th, reports standing off shore five 
miles, sounding her whistle and sending up rockets. She received 
no answer. The whole sea front was blazing for miles. The Esk 
sent a boat ashore, but it could not land on account of the terrific 
heat, which was accompanied by loud explosions. Not a living 
soul appeared ashore after the boat had waited for two hours. 
Fire and ashes fell all over the steamer. 

The first mate of the Canadian steamer Roraima, which was 
lost in the harbor at St. Pierre, thus describes the disaster : 

"Between 6.30 and 7 o'clock in the morning on May 8th, 
without warning, there came a sort of whirlwind of steam, boiling 
mud and fire, which suddenly swept the city and the roadstead. 
There were some eighteen vessels anchored in the harbor, includ- 
ing the Roraima, the French sailing ship Tamaya, four larger 



INTRODUCTION. 41 

.sailing ships and. others. All the vessels immediately canted over 
and began to burn. The Tamaya was a bark from Nantes, Cap- 
tain Maurice, and was on her way to Point-a-Pitre. All the boats 
except the Roraima sank instantly and at the same moment. 

" Bvery house ashore was utterly destroyed and apparently 
buried under the ashes and burning lava. An officer who was 
sent ashore penetrated but a short distance into the city. He 
found only a few walls standing and streets literally paved with 
corpses. The Governor of the island, who had arrived only a 
few hours before the catastrophe, was killed." 

LIKE SODOM AND GOMORRAH. 

[EX-CONSUL TUCKER SAYS THAT THE MORALS OF THE PEOPLE PRO- 
VOKED DIVINE WRATH.] 

" My first thought when I read of the destruction of St. 
Pierre was that it was simply the history of Sodom and Gomorrah 
repeated," said Colonel Julius G. Tucker, former United States 
Consul in Martinique. 

"The morals of the inhabitants of St. Pierre were very bad," 
he explained. "Good women were the exception among the 
natives. I cannot picture the vice and immorality of that place 
vividly enough. It had to be seen to be understood." 

Colonel Tucker served the United States Government there 
from 1895 to 1899, having been appointed to the position by 
President Cleveland. 

" The people were simply like rats in a trap, and had no way 
to turn. We never thought of an eruption proceeding from the 
volcano. It seemed entirely extinct, and the fact that a little lake 
lay at the bottom of the crater led strength to this supposition. 

" The crater lays about twelve miles to the north and west of 
St. Pierre," he said. " And could be climbed after hard work. 
It was very steep with precipitous sides and rough rocks and 



42 INTRODUCTION. 

lava beds. The crater proper was about two hundred yards in 
diameter and eighty feet deep. At the bottom was the lake, con- 
taining clear, limpid water. The strange part about this lake 
was its unfathomable depth. All kinds of soundings were tried, 
but no one ever succeeded in finding the bottom. 

ALL SUPPLIES FROM AMERICA. 

" While I was Consul, I secured a pleasant little place on top 
of a mountain behind the city, where it was cooler. The city was 
excessively hot, there being little breeze on the Caribbean Sea, 
and the breeze from the Atlantic Ocean being cut off entirely by 
the mountain to which I refer. 

" There is only one industry on the island of Martinique — 
that of sugar raising. Surprising to state, no sugar is exported. 
It is all turned into rum and then shipped to France. Everything 
necessary to the life of the inhabitants is gotten from the United 
States, but nothing is exported to this country. Despite the fact 
that the manufacture of rum was the principal industry, the inhab- 
itants were never drunk. I never saw a drunken native on the 
island during my entire stay. The only intoxicated persons I 
ever saw were foreigners. 

"There were very few Americans on the island, and not a 
single German. All countries are there represented except Ger- 
many, many having both Consuls and Vice Consuls. 

"The inhabitants of St. Pierre were very superstitious and 
excitable. I remember that during my stay two earthquakes 
occurred, but they lasted only several seconds. Everything 
rattled and shook, and the people ran out into the streets and 
began praying and crying. The women screamed and fainted, 
and altogether excitement prevailed supreme. I cite this to give 
an idea of what must have occurred when the disaster overtook 
the people and destroyed their city and their lives." 



INTRODUCTION. 43 

On May 10, a message from St. Vincent, a neighboring 
British island, said : 

" The Soufriere has been in a state of eruption for nine con- 
secutive mornings. On May 8th, the day broke with heavy 
thunder and lightning, which soon changed into a contin- 
uous, tremendous roar. Vast columns of smoke rose over the 
mountain, becoming denser and denser, and the scoria-like hail, 
changing later to fine dust, fell upon all the adjacent estates, de- 
stroying a vast amount of property. At Chateau Belair the ashes 
were two feet deep in the street. In Kingston they were fully an 
inch deep, and many large stones fell in the parish of George- 
town. 

"The earth shook violently and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon a 
midnight darkness spread over the country. Thirty people are 
known to have been killed and the damage to property in the 
windward district was very heavy." 

STORM ROARED ALL NIGHT. 

The storm roared about Soufriere all night without cessation, 
but on the following morning it became intermittent and fainter. 

A report from Barbadoes says on May 7 the sky was heavily 
overcast, the heat was excessive and there was a distant sound of 
thunder. Later, early in the afternoon, dense darkness set in 
and a great quantity of vivid dust fell and continued falling until 
a late hour. No damage is reported. 

The following cablegram was received from Governor Sir 
Frederick Mitchell Hodgson, of Barbadoes : 

" The Soufriere volcano on St. Vincent erupted violently yes- 
terday. Loud reports, resembling artillery fire, were heard at 
Barbadoes at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. At 5 o'clock there came 
darkness and thunder, accompanied by a strong downpour of dust, 
which continued until night. Barbadoes is covered several inches 



44 INTRODUCTION. 

deep with dust this morning. Have telegraphed Sir Robert 

Llewelyn, Governor of the Windward Islands, offering him all 

assistance 

AN HISTORICAL HURRICANE. 

Although Martinique is an earthly paradise in its outward 
aspect, it has always been subjected to the wildest convulsions of 
natuie. The first white invaders were told by the native Caribs 
of the fierce wind storms which swept the island at unexpected 
times, and the French planters soon learned that a case-a-vent, or 
hurricane house, was an indispensable adjunct of every planta- 
tion. These were not unlike the "cyclone cellars " of the Western 
plains, though they were usually built into or under the side of a 
hill, with walls of stone several feet in thickness. The door was 
of thick plank, there were no windows, and the air within, if the 
storm was of long duration, became most oppressive. 

The great hurricane which destroyed the property of the 
father of the future Empress of the French occurred on the 13th 
of August, 1766, some seven weeks after Josephine's third birth- 
day. Young as she was at the time, it made an indelible impres- 
sion on her mind, and after she was Empress she used to thrill 
her ladies-in-waiting by vivid descriptions of that day of terrors. 
She had been snatched from her morning bath by her father, who 
had only time to wrap her in a large bath towel, and the full fury 
of the storm burst upon them as M. Tascher and his baby daugh- 
ter passed through the door of the case-a-vent, where Madame 
Tascher and the terrified household slaves had already sought 
refuge. 

Scarcely had the massive door been closed and bolted than 
the hurricane was upon them in all its fury. The tall palms 
writhed, and bent beneath its blows ; mango and calabush, orange 
and guava trees were quickly stripped of their limbs or forcibly 
uprooted ; roof-tiles from the mansion, boards from the negro 



INTRODUCTION. 45 

quarters and branches torn from trees were hurled through the 
air. The door of the case-a-vent groaned on its huge hinges, and 
strained at the iron bars stretched across it. The air within the 
cave became hot to suffocation ; moans and cries arose from the 
terrified negroes ; but little Josephine uttered not a word. Close 
clasping her arms around her father's neck, and clinging also to 
her mother's hand, she lay quiet and calm. 

FAMOUS PALM AVENUE DESTROYED. 

The hours passed slowly ; but finally the door ceased to strain 
at its fastenings, and M. Tascher commanded the huge negro who 
had charge of it to open it a little way. Carefully and slowly the 
bolts were drawn and daylight admitted. All was quiet without. 
The darkness that had accompanied the storm, caused by the 
dense clouds and sheets of rain, had been dispelled by the sun, 
which was now shining brightly. The wind had died away to a 
moan; exhausted nature lay prostrate, torn and bleeding. Hardly 
a tree was left standing ; huge ceibas, cedars aud sapote trees had 
been uprooted and cast to the ground. But the most mournful 
spectacle was the palm avenue, for in place of the columnar 
trunks, with their waviug plumes, was a ragged row of shattered 
stumps. The huts of the negroes, which had been grouped about 
the sugar mill, were entirely destroyed, and soon a hundred 
despairing beings were groping in their ruins. But the crowning 
desolation of all was the total destruction of the Tascher mansion. 

Only the great sugar house remained standing of all the 
buildings pertaining to the estate. To this structure the now- 
homeless family directed their steps. Its walls were of stone 
some two feet in thickness, its rafters hea\y and covered with 
earthen tiles, the doorways were broad, with granite lintels. 
Above the ground floor, where the machinery was placed, were 
two large chambers. The beams supporting the floor were sound 



4tf INTRODUCTION. 

and strong, and the floor itself intact, and there the family took 
up their abode. M. Tascher de La Pagerie never rebuilt the great 
house, and thus fate, or fortune, willed that Josephine should know 
no other place of residence while she lived in Trois-Ilets, unless 
visiting at the house of a friend, or at school. But she was to live 
to know still stranger places of abode ; the grim Carmelite prison, 
the stately palace of the Tuileries and cheerful Malmaison, in 
whose gardens she cherished the plants of her native isle. 

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S EXAMPLE EMULATED 

Following is the text of cable messages that passed between 
Presidents Roosevelt and Loubert on the Martinique disaster : 

" Washington, May 10, 1902. 
" His excellency, M. Emile Loubert, President of the French 
Republic, Paris : 
" I pray your Excellency to accept the profound sympathy 
of the American people in the appalling calamity which has come 
upon the people of Martinique. 

"THEODORE ROOSEVELT." 



" President Roosevelt : 

" I thank your Excellency for the expression of profound 
sympathy you have sent me in the name of the American people 
on the occasion of the awful catastrophe at Martinique. The 
French people will certainly join me in thanks to the American 
people. "EMILE LOUBERT." 

Emperor William telegraphed to President Loubert, in 
French, as follows : 

" Profoundly moved by the news of the terrible catastrophe 
which has just overtaken St. Pierre, and which has cost the lives 
of nearly as many persons as perished at Pompeii. I hasten to 
offer France my most sincere sympathy 



INTRODUCTION. 47 

" May the Almighty comfort the hearts of those who weep 
for their irreparable losses. 

" My Ambassador will remit to your Excellency the sum of 
10,000 marks ($2,500), in my behalf, as a contribution for the 
relief of the afflicted." 

President Loubert replied : 

"Am greatly touched by the mark of sympathy, which, in 
this terrible misfortune has fallen on France, your Majesty has 
deigned to convey to me. 

" I beg j^ou to accept my warm thanks, and also the gratitude 
of the victims whom you propose to succor." 

The Czar telegraphed to President Loubert, expressing the 
sincere sympathy of himself and the Czarina, who share with 
France the sorrow caused by the terrible West Indian catastrophe. 

ROOSEVELT RUSHES RELIEF. 

On Monday the Commercial Cable Company announced that 
communication with Martinique is open via Azores and Lisbon, 
and made the following announcement showing the tortuous and 
expensive course necessary to get word from the stricken people : 

" In sending a cable message from Martinique to New York 
it must pass from Fort-de-France to Paramaribo, 777 miles ; Para- 
maribo to Cayenne, 257 ; Cayenne to Para, 562 ; Para to Per- 
nambuco, 1,272 ; Pernambuco to St. Vincent, 1,862 ; St. Vincent 
to Madeira, 1,268 ; Madeira to Lisbon, 626 ; Lisbon to Fayal, 1,100; 
Fayal to New York, via Causo, 2,552. Total, 10,276 miles. 

" Ordinarily the cable route to Martinique is 2,262 miles, and 
the time required for delivery of a message ifroni three to five 
minutes. Now, the cable company says, it takes two hours to 
deliver a message in Martinique or in New York, as the case may 
be. The cable toll is $1.99 per word." 

On Monday, May 12, important government work at Wash* 



48 INTRODUCTION. 

ington was practically suspended that the ships with supplies 
might be despatched promptly. President Roosevelt's enthu- 
siasm, to which was added the hearty co-operation of three mem- 
bers of his Cabinet, set the machinery of the Government 
humming on that day in providing measures for the relief of the 
stricken survivors of the Martinique catastrophe. From early that 
morning until after the close of the official business day, there 
were more lively times at the White House and in certain bureaus 
of the Departments of the Treasury, War and the Navy. When 
the President and his busy subordinates finished their work they 
had the satisfaction of knowing that nothing within the province 
of the Administration had been left undone to further the work of 
humanity in the devastated island. 

ROOSEVELT GOES RIGHT AT IT. 

The French Ambassador, who called on President Roosevelt 
in the forenoon to deliver a message of thanks from the President 
of France for the sympathy expressed by this Government and 
to ask Mr. Roosevelt to assist in extending succor to the people of 
Martinique, learned that plans had already been set afoot to lend 
a strong hand in the work of relief. The direct result of the 
Ambassador's visit was the transmission of a message to Congress 
by President Roosevelt, asking that $500,000 be appropriated for 
the purchase of relief supplies and expense of their transportation 
and distribution. In his special message to Congress, he says : 

" One of the greatest calamities in history has fallen upon 
our neighboring island of Martinique. The Consul of the United 
States at Guadeloupe has telegraphed from Fort-de-France, under 
date of May 11, that the disaster is complete ; that the city of St. 
Pierre has ceased to exist, and that the American Consul and his 
family have perished. He is informed that thirty thousand people 
have lost their lives, and that fifty thousand are homeless and 



INTRODUCTION. 49 

hungry ; that there is urgent need of all kinds of provisions, and 
that the visit of vessels for the work of supply and rescue is 
imperatively required. 

" The Government of France, while expressing their thanks 
for the marks of sympathy which have reached them from America, 
inform us that Fort-de-Frauce and the entire island of Martinique 
are still threatened. They, therefore, request that, for the purpose 
of rescuing the people who are in such deadly peril and threatened 
with starvation, the Government of the United States may send, 
as soon as possible, the means of transporting them from the 
stricken island. The island of St. Vincent, and, perhaps, others 
in that region are also seriously menaced by the calamity which 
has taken so appalling a form in Martinique. 

" I have directed the departments of the Treasury, of War 
and of the Navy to take such measures for the relief of these 
stricken peoples as lie within the executive discretion, and I 
earnestly commend this case of unexampled disaster to the gener- 
ous consideration of the Congress. For this purpose I recommend 
that an appropriation of $500,000 be made, to be immediately 

availing. 

"THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

" White House, Washington, May 12, 1902." 

CONGRESS ACTS PROMPTLY. 

After the message was received in the House Mr. Hemenway 
(Rep. Ind.) presented the Senate bill for the relief of sufferers hy 
the volcanic disaster in the French West Indies, with a substi- 
tute unanimously recommended by the Committee on Appropria- 
tions, increasing the appropriation from $100,000 to $200,000. 

Mr. Hemenway said this action was taken by the committee in 
view of the message from the President recommending that $500,- 
000 be appropriated. Generous contributions were being made by 

4-MAR 



60 INTRODUCTION. 

the people of the United States, and the committee believed that 
$200,000 wonld be sufficient at least for the present. Should it 
prove to be insufficient lie had no doubt Congress would increase 
the amount. But prompt action was necessary if the people to be 
affected were to be relieved and rescued at all. 

Mr. Underwood, of Alabama, again expressed his objection 
to the proposed legislation. Members did not stand in the House 
io legislate upon their sympathies, or upon their heartstrings. 
The suffering people, victims of the recent disas u er, were subjects 
of the great and powerful republic of France, a nation whose proud 
boast it had always been that it was able to take care of its own 
people. Congress had no right to be generous with the money of 
the people whom it represented. 

THE NATION'S SYMPATHY. 

Mr. McRae, of Georgia, said he was glad to believe that the 
people of the United States were willing that Congress should not 
only express their sympathy with suffering, but that they were 
willing that Congress should extend the proposed relief. He 
hoped that the bill would be passed unanimously, but if that 
could not be done, that it should be passed speedily. [Applause.] 

Mr. Livingston, of Georgia, said that it had been the practice 
of the United States ever since the Republic was established, to 
extend aid to the suffering, even to the uttermost parts of the 
earth, and he did not believe that the policy would now be re- 
versed. [Applause.] 

The bill was passed — 196 to 9. The negative votes were cast 
by Messrs. Clayton of Alabama, Burgess and Lanham of Texas, 
Gains, Moon and Snodgrass of Tennessee, Tate of Georgia, Un- 
derwood of Alabama, and Williams of Mississippi. 

Soon after the bill was passed the Senate received a message 
from the House announcing the passage by that body of a sub- 



INTRODUCTION. 51 

stitute for tlie Senate bill for the relief of the citizens of the French 
West Indies, increasing the appropriation from $100,000 to $200,- 
000. The substitute was laid before the Senate and was immedi- 
ately passed. Mr. Cullom referred to the President's message 
recommending an appropriation of $500,000 and said that the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, to which the message was 
referred, would report on it the next day. 

PREPARATIONS TO SEND RELIEF. 

A dozen other things were done during the day by the Presi- 
dent and his assistants to show how thoroughly their sympathies 
had been enlisted by the distress of the people of Martinique. 
The following enumeration of what has been done by the Gov- 
ernment shows how thorough is the scheme of relief. 

The naval training ship Dixie ordered to sail immediately 
from Brooklyn with relief supplies — $70,000 worth of food, $5000 
worth of medicine, $20,000 worth of clothing, blankets and shel- 
ter tents, three army Surgeons and one army Commissary, 
with $5000 to spend, to go on the Dixie ; the naval collier 
Sterling ordered to load with stores at San Juan, Porto 
Rico, and proceed to Martinique ; the naval training ship Buffalo, 
at Brooklyn, ordered to get ready to takeimore supplies ; two naval 
water ships ordered to get ready for carrying fresh water to the 
sufferers ; vessels of the United States Revenue Cutter Service 
and Coast Survey placed at the disposal of the War Department 
for carrying supplies or to take away survivors ; the UnitedStates 
* cruiser Cincinnati sails from San Domingo for Martinique to take 
away survivors and render other assistance ; United States naval 
tug Potomac sails from San Juan, Porto Rico, for Martinique to 
take away survivors and render other assistance ; National Red 
Cross asked to co-operate. 

From this enumeration it will be seen that President Roose- 



52 INTRODUCTION. 

velt had a busy day. It was also a busy day for Secretary of the 
Navy Moody, who got to bis office when a good rnauy of bis 
employees were just getting out of bed, and prepared to continue 
tbe good work be bad begun in ordering tbe Cincinnati to Mar- 
tinique, authorizing the Commandant at San Juan to send the 
Potomac there, and directing that the Dixie be made ready for 
sea. Secretary of War Root had directed Commissary-General 
Weston, Quartermaster-General Ludington and Surgeon-General 
Sternberg to order the concentration of supplies at the Brooklyn 
Navy Yard for shipment on the Dixie. Secretary of the Treasury 
Shaw sent notice to tbe proper officers of bis Department to get 
revenue cutters and coast survey vessels in readiness for instant 

service. 

PRESIDENT SUPERINTENDS THE WORK. 

When President Roosevelt went to his office Monday morning 
he had made up his mind personally to superintend the arrange- 
ments for furnishing assistance to the people of Martinique. 
The first thing he did was to direct Secretary Cortelyou to inform 
the Secretaries of the Treasury, War and Navy what he wanted 
done. Mr. Cortelyou promptly sent this identical note to each of 
the three Cabinet officers : 

"The President directs me to express to you his wish that 
your Department go to the furthest limits of executive discretion 
in the work of relief and rescue in the afflicted islands of the 
Caribbeau." 

It will be noticed that the relief measures contemplated by 
the President were not specifically restricted to Martinique, and it 
is understood that if St. Vincent or any other stricken community 
needed assistance it was to be furnished. In fact, the instructions 
to Commander McLean of the Dixie, which were mailed by the 
Navy Department that evening, permitted him to call at any of 
the British islands where relief may be necessary. 



INTRODUCTION. 53 

The President learned early through Secretary Hay that 
Thomas T. Prentis, of Melrose, Mass., the United States Consul 
at St. Pierre, Mrs. Prentis and their two daughters had lost their 
lives in the Martinique disaster. He learned also from the same 
source that thirty thousand people had lost their lives and that 
fifty thousand were homeless. This news came to Secretary Hay 
from Louis H. Ayme, United States Consul at Guadeloupe, who 
left there on the ioth for Martinique under instructions to ascer- 
tain the fate of the Prentis family and report conditions. Mr. 
Ayme's message, the substance of which was given by the Presi- 
dent in his special message to Congress was as follows : 

"The disaster is complete — the city wiped out. Consul 
Prentis and his family are dead. Governor says thirty thousand 
have perished ; fifty thousand are homeless and hungry. He 
suggests that the Red Cross be asked to send codfish, flour, beans, 
rice, salt meats and biscuits as quickly as possible. Visits of war 
vessels valuable." 

IMPERIALISTIC IN CHARITY. 

Feeling confident that Congress would not neglect his appeal 
for authority to render assistance to the suffering islanders, Presi- 
dent Roosevelt decided not to wait until an appropriation bill had 
been passed, but to order the immediate selection from the stores 
of supplies to the amount of $100,000, that being the sum author- 
ized by the measure which passed the Senate and was delayed in 
the House on objection by Representative Underwood of Ala- 
bama. By his personal direction Secretary Root, the Subsistence, 
Quartermaster's and Medical Departments of the army were 
ordered to get these supplies ready for shipment on the Dixie, 
and by the time the relief resolution was passed by both houses 
the actual work of concentrating medicine, food, clothing, &c, at 
Brooklyn for shipment on the relief vessel was well under way. 



54 INTRODUCTION. 

The wisdom of Secretary Moody's decision to order the Dixie 
to prepare for sea was shown later, when the President decided to 
send relief supplies. Two days were gained by Mr. Moody's 
foresight. In response to the demand for more relief vessels, Mr. 
Moody sent instructions to the Commandant of the Brooklyn 
Navy Yard to have the training ship Buffalo put in condition to 
proceed to Martinique, and to the Commandant of the San Juan 
Naval Station to load the big collier Sterling with Quarter- 
master's stores and start for the devastated island when she had 
completed loading. 

TUG POTOMAC SAILED FOR MARTINIQUE. 

The first news which the Navy Department had that the tug 
Potomac had gone to Martinique came two days later from Cap- 
tain Yates Stirling, the Commandant at the San Juan Naval 
Station. His telegram said that she sailed the day before. On 
the twelfth the Department got a telegram from Lieutenant Ben- 
jamin McCormack, the Potomac's commander, dated Island of 
Dominica, reporting his arrival there and that he was leaving 
immediately for Martinique. 

Rear Admiral Royal B. Bradford, Chief of the Bureau of 
Equipment, who showed in the Spanish War that he was a 
resourceful officer, demonstrated again that he was alive to the 
requirements of an emergency, by suggesting to Secretary Moody 
that fresh water for drinking purposes be sent to Martinique. He 
not only made this suggestion, but offered to furnish means to 
carry it out. His idea was among the first to be laid before the 
President and the Cabinet by Secretary Moody, when the relief 
plans were perfected. Admiral Bradford's suggestion was 
embodied in this memorandum for Secretary Moody : 

"It has occurred to the Bureau that the refugees from the 
island of Martinique may suffer for the want of good water. 



INTRODUCTION. 55 

Naturally surface water will be strongly impregnated with sul- 
phur, and therefore unsuitable for drinking purposes. There is 
a good water barge at Key West, with a capacity of 175,000 
gallons ready for immediate use. There is another one at Nor- 
folk, with a capacity of 400,000 gallons, ready for immediate use. 
They might be towed at once to whatever locality is selected for a 
camp for the refugees. They can be refilled at Kingston, Jamaica, 
or Cape Haytien, Hayti, where there is an abundance of good water." 
Colonel William H. Michael, Chief Clerk of the State Depart- 
ment, who is a member of the Executive Board of the National 
Red Cross, reported that arrangements were being made for a 
special meeting of the board to devise means for distributing 
relief to the people of Martinique. Miss Clara Barton, President 
of the National Red Cross had left Washington for Russia to 
attend the Convention of the Red Cross Organization of the 
World. Brigadier-General John M. Wilson, United States Army, 
retired, is First Vice-President of the National Red Cross. Gen- 
eral Wilson was in Washington. 

ROBBING THE DEAD. 

The following despatch reached the United States by way of 
London, Wednesday, May 14th : — The incineration and bury- 
ing of the dead at St. Pierre is still going on, but under great 
difficulties. The only men engaged in it are French soldiers. A 
small squad of them is at work. The entire atmosphere of the 
place is so saturated with the stench that the burial parties are 
made ill by it. The men can only work for a short time at a 
stretch. 

In spite of the horrors of the place thieves are penetrating it, 
robbing the dead and digging in the ruins for treasure. 

Over Mont Pelee there still hangs a great cloud of smoke. 
The eruption continues with diminished force. 



56 INTRODUCTION. 

A despatch, from London received the same day said that 
Mont Pelee was still in eruption. Further disasters are feared. 

Another despatch from Fort-de-France says that persons 
returning from St. Pierre report that the looting of the dead in 

that place had begun. 

It is stated that the authorities are paying little attention to 
the cremation or burial of the bodies of the victims. 

The tug Potomac, which was despatched from Porto Rico by 
the United States Navy Department, cruised along the coast. She 
encountered a dense cloud of black smoke and was obliged to go 
five miles out of her course to avoid it. 

POTOMAC CATCHES LOOTERS. 

While on her way to Fort-de-France the Potomac picked up a 
small open boat in which were five negroes and a white man. 

They all had their pockets stuffed with gold and jewels, which 
they had stolen at St. Pierre. Lieutenant McCormack, the com- 
mander of the Potomac, placed the men under arrest and subse- 
quently turned them over to the commander of the French cruiser 
Suchet. 

The only persons employed in burying the dead at St. Pierre 
are a small detachment of French soldiers. 

A despatch to the " Daily Mail " from Fort-de-France, dated 
May 12, and cabled by way of Pinheiro and Pernambuco, describes 
the correspondent's eighty-mile journey from Guadeloupe to Mar- 
tinique, where he arrived Sunday morning. Mont Pelee was 
shrouded in a dull violet-colored haze, which extended a mile 
above the mountain. The haze had assumed the shape of a giant 
mushroom, and its outer edges, where it caught the sun, showed 
a beautiful amber tint. Three miles from the land the ocean was 
strewn with wreckage. Many corpses were seen floating, on 
which sea birds and sharks were preying. 



INTRODUCTION. 57 

The correspondent's boat reached the village of Precheur, a 
few miles north of St Pierre, and it was found that the place had 
been partly destroyed by fire. The few remaining inhabitants on 
the shore begged to be taken off. They were told that help was on 
the way to them, and the boat proceeded. 

When off St. Pierre it was seen that all that remained of 
the city were long rows of ruined walls, plastered with volcanic 
mud. A nauseating odor came off from the shore. 

The boat hailed the mail steamer Solent, which was in the 
roadstead, and the latter directed the correspondent how to land. 
In many places tens and scores of victims were seen in a single 
mass. Here and there fires were still burning. 

A despatch to the " Express" from St. Thomas says that the 
Danish cruiser Valkyrien, rescued 500 survivors on the northeast 
coast of Martinique. The French cruiser Suchet rescued 2000, 
and the cable ship Pouyer Quertier a large number. All were 
conveyed to Fort-de-France. 

Only one life is known to have been saved in St. Pierre, that 
of a prisoner in jail. The French bank transferred all its funds 
and books to the cruiser Suchet before the catastrophe. 

SOME NOT KILLED OUTRIGHT. 

A despatch from Fort-de-France states a servant named 

Laurent, who was employed by a family in St. Pierre, was among 

the survivors who were taken to the hospital at Fort-de-France. 

, The physicians did everything in their power to save the life of the 

woman, but she was horribly burned and their efforts were in vain. 

Despite her injuries she was conscious and told what little she 
knew of the disaster. She said that she was going about her 
duties as usual last Thursday morning when suddenly she heard 
a terrific explosion. She was so badly frightend that she fainted, 
and while in this condition she was terribly burned. She remained 



58 INTRODUCTION. 

unconscious for a long time, but ultimately recovered her 
senses. 

She then saw two members of the family in which she was 
employed who were still alive, but frightfully burned. They died 
before assistance could reach them. 

The woman stated that she had no further knowledge of the 
catastrophe, and shortly after telling her story she died. 

The cable steamer Pouyer Ouertier has distributed large 
quantities of provisions among the sufferers. 

ACCESS TO THE TOWN NOW EASIER. 

An undated despatch from Fort-de-France says that access to 
St. Pierre had been easier since the catastrophe. No signs of fire 

were then visible. 

At the mouillage everything appeared scattered as by a tornado. 
The iron gates of the Custom House are standing. The iron beds 
that were used in the hospital are twisted by the great heat, but 
do not bear any other signs of fire. The bed clothes and other textiles 
have completely disappeared. 

Two thousand corpses were found on the streets, most of the 
bodies lying face downward- The centre of the town and the fort 
are buried under several yards of cinders. 

In the neighborhood of the creek several houses were found 
intact, but their inmates were dead, their bodies looking as though 
they had been struck by lightning. 

M. Decrais, Minister for the Colonies, received the following 
despatch from Fort-de-France, Martinique, signed by M. L'Huerre, 
Secretary-General of the Government of Martinique : 

" The perimeter ravaged includes Carbet, Precheur and Ma- 
couba. Basse Pointe is also damaged. Precheur has been 
annihilated and it is believed the same fate has befallen Grande 
Riviere and Macouba, 



INTRODUCTION. 59 

" Senator Knight landed at Precheur and buried four hundred 
bodies. He brought the survivors to Fort-de-France yesterday. 
The work of the commander of the Suchet is above praise. The 
three children of Governor Mouttet will sail on the mail steamer 
on June i, for France. They will be accompanied by M. Mulle*~ 
Governor Mouttet's chief in the Cabinet." 

GHASTLY FEASTS FOR SHARKS. 
M. Decrais has received the following despatch, dated Fort- 
de-France, Martinique, May 12 : 

" There are only twelve survivors at the military hospital 
here, whereas there are 30,000 corpses strewn at St. Pierre beneath 
the ruins or afloat on the waves, where the sharks are devouring 
them. 

" Twenty of the dying, who were half calcined, were brought 
here. Of this number sixteen have already died. 

" On Sunday the island was hid beneath a thick veil of mist 
of a leaden color. The sea was strewn with wreckage of ships, 
dwellings and trees and corpses. Above the latter sea fowl hover 
around. Occasionally there is a breeze, alternately burning 
and icy. 

" The ruins of St. Pierre continue to burn. The air is filled 
with odor of burning flesh. No house is intact. Everywhere 
there are masses of wood, hot cinders and volcanic stones. The 
streets have disappeared. The corpses lie nearly all face 
downward. 

" On one spot the bodies of twenty-two men, women and 
children lie huddled together near a wall, with their arms and 
legs protruding. A small rivulet flows where once was the Place 
Bertin. This is all that remains of the Goyave River. Large 
trees twisted by fire lie with their roots upward beneath a mass of 
rubbish, from which emerges the arm of a white woman, 



60 INTRODUCTION. 

" It appears that the volcanic torrent contained poisonous 
gases. All the victims who have been found apparently covered 
their mouths in order to avoid death by suffocation. 

" All those who were saved come from neighboring villages. 
Not a single soul was saved from St. Pierre itself." 

ST. VINCENT STRICKEN. 

The following distressing despatches poured into the United 
States on Wednesday, the 14th : — 

Castries, St. Lucia, May 13th. — "Advices have just reached 
here from St. Vincent placing the loss of life in that island by 
the eruption of La Soufriere at 1600." 

St. Thomas, D. W. L, May 13th.— "The latest advices tha f 
have reached here from the island of St. Vincent only add to the 
horrors of the situation there. It was thought when the news of 
the disaster first became known that, though the material loss 
would be heavy, the death list would not be very large ; but it is 
now known that up to the present time the fatalities number 700, 
and grave fears are entertained that the list is not yet complete. 

" La Soufriere continues to emit fire and cinders, and it is 
thought that the eruption will not cease until Mont Pelee, in 
Martinique, becomes quiescent." 

London, May 13th. — "There is considerable anxiety here 
as to the condition of affairs on the British island of St. Vincent. 
The latest news which was received about thirty-six hours ago, 
was to the effect that La Soufriere was still in eruption. Since 
then no definite news has been received in official quarters. The 
latest information was that the northern part of the island was 
cut off from the southern end by enormous streams of lava and 
that boats' crews were unable to land." 

ST. Thomas, D. W. I., May 13th.— "The Danish cruiser 
Valkyrien has rescued five hundred refugees from points along 



INTRODUCTION. 61 

the coast in the north and northeastern parts of the island of 
Martinique. 

"The French gunboat Suchet, whose officers and crew have 
been working heroically since the disaster overtook St. Pierre, 
has rescued 2000 persons. Everybody aboard the little warship 
is nearly exhausted, but the vessel hardly arrives at Fort-de- 
Frauce with survivors before all hands are eager to again set out 
on their work of mercy. 

"The French cable steamer Pouyer Quertier has also assisted 
in the work of rescue and has taken all the survivors that she 
picked up to Fort-de-France, where the other vessels have also 
landed all those they rescued. 

"All the house accommodation at Fort-de-France was taken up 
days ago. Large numbers of the survivors are occupying tents 
furnished by the Government,but the crowds of refugees are so 
large that many are compelled to shift for themselves as best 
they can." 

STENCH FROM ROTTING CORPSES. 

The stench from the bodies in the ruins of the town is 
intolerable. The scene of desolation in St. Pierre and for miles 
around is beyond the power of words to describe. 

The report that the French Bank at St. Pierre transferred its 
funds and books to the Suchet before the catastrophe, was based 
upon the fact that the vaults of the bank were found to be intact 
and the securities and cash were removed by the Suchet to Fort- 
de-France. / 

People who went to see Mr. Roosevelt at the White House 
found him too busy to attend to anything except the 
consummation of the relief measures, which he initiated soon 
after the catastrophe, and if the Hon. Henry Watterson had been 
there with others who profess to believe with him that Mr. Roose- 



62 INTRODUCTION. 

velt pursues "bronco bustiug" methods in carrying on his 
administration, they might have found some confirmation of their 
contention. 

The President did not "bust" any wild horses, but be tore 
into little bits a large amount of official red tape, and broke down 
a few figurative feuces that under otber administrations might 
have retarded the progress of his intention to get relief to the 
scene of the West Indian catastrophe with the least possible 
delay. In doing these things bis training as Assistant Secretary 
of the Navy served him in good stead. 

APPEALS FROM RED TAPE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. 

The most important thing the President did was to issue an 
appeal to the people of the United States to send private contribu- 
tions to committees named by him for the assistance of the 
surviving inhabitants of Martinique and St. Vincent, and in 
addition to the pleasure of signing the act appropriating $200,000 
for relief measures, the expenditure of nearly every cent of which 
had been provided for before the act had even passed the House, 
he had the satisfaction of knowing that the Senate had adopted 
an additional measure to increase the relief fund to the half 
million dollars asked for by the President in his special message. 

The appeal was issued at the end of a Cabinet meeting lasting 
three hours. It is as follows : 

" The President appointed a committee of eminent Americans 
to receive funds for the relief of the sufferers from the recent 
catastrophes in Martinique and St. Vincent. The men appointed 
from each city were asked to collect and receive the funds from 
their localities and neighborhoods as expeditiously as possible and 
forward them to Cornelius N. Bliss, Treasurer of the New York 
committee, which committee acted as the central distributing point 
for the country." 



INTRODUCTION. 63 

The President directed all the postmasters throughout the 
country, and requested the presidents of all the national banks, to 
act as agents for the collection of contributions, to forward the 
same at once to Mr. Bliss at New York. The postmasters were 
also directed to report to the Postmaster-General, within ten days, 
any funds collected on this account. 

QUICK CHARITY NEEDED. 

The President appealed to the public " to contribute gen- 
erously for the relief of those upon whom this appalling calamity 
had fallen, and asked that the contributions be sent in as speedily 
as possible." The men designated on the several committees are 
requested to act at once. Following were the committees : 

New York — The Hon. Cornelius N. Bliss, treasurer; Morris 
K. Jessup, John Claflin, Jacob H. Schiff, William R. Corwine. 

Boston — Augustus Hemenway, Dr. Henry S. Pritchett, Henry 
Lee Higginson. 

Philadelphia — Charles Emory Smith, Provost Charles C. 
Harrison, Joseph G. Darlington, Clement A. Griscom, John H. 
Convers. 

Baltimore — James A. Gary. 

Washington — Charles C. Glover. 

Pittsburg— A. J. Logan, H. C. Frick. 

Buffalo — John G. Milburn, Carlton Sprague. 

Cleveland— Myron T. Herrick, Samuel Mather. 

Cincinnati— Jacob G. Schmidlapp, Briggs S. Cunningham. 

Chicago— J. J. Mitchell, Marvin Hughitt, Marshall Field, 
Graeme Stewart. 

Milwaukee— F. G. Bigelow, Charles F. Pfister, Fred Pabst. 

Minneapolis — Thomas Lowry and J. J. Shevlin. 

St. Paul — Kenneth Clark and Theodore Schurmeir. 

Detroit — Don M. Dickinson. 



64 INTRODUCTION. 

St. Louis— Charles Parsons, Adolphus Bush and Robert S. 
Bookings. 

Louisville — Thomas Bullitt. 

Atlanta — Robert J. Lowry. 

Kansas City — W. B- Clark and Charles Campbell. 

Omaha — John C. Wharton and Victor B. Caldwell. 

Denver— D. H. Moffatt. 

San Francisco — Mayor Schmitz, George A. Newhall, A. Shar- 
doro, Robert J. Tobin, Henry T. Scott, A. A. Watkins. 

New Orleans — The Hon. Paul Capdevielle, Mr. I. L- Lyons, 
Mr. S. T. Walmsley. 

THE CABINET AT WORK. 

A good part of this extra-long Cabinet session was taken up 
in considering relief measures. It was realized by Mr. Roosevelt 
and his advisers, after a brief review of the situation, the $200,000 
appropriated by Congress was entirely too small to carry out the 
comprehensive plans of the Government. The cost of provisions, 
medicine and other supplies already ordered sent to St. Pierre is 
nearly equal to the full appropriation, and as the latest news from 
St. Vincent indicated that much distress prevails there, an addi 
tional expenditure for relief will be required. 

President Roosevelt and his Cabinet were determined not to 
undertake any half-way measures, and they were anxious to give to 
the stricken people of the British island the same degree of succor 
that had been deemed necessary for its French neighbor. On 
account of the advantageous geographical situation of this country 
to Martinique and St. Vincent the United States Government was 
in better position than England or France to send assistance to 
the West Indian colonies of those nations, and the President was 
going ahead on the idea that diplomatic formalities, such as offering 
aid before undertaking to give it, should be dispensed with 




PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE MARTINIQUE RELIEF COMMITTEE 

J. H. CONVERSE, phila. J. G. DARLI NGTON, phila. C. A. GRISCOM, phila. 
C. N. BLISS, new york J. G. Ml LB URN, buffalo C. E. SMITH, phila. 

H. C. FRICK, PITTSBURG D. M. DICKINSON, DETROIT J- A. GARY, BALTIMORE 

M. J. HERRICK, CLEVELAND 




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CHAPTER I. 

Apalling Calamity in the Islands of Martinique and St. 
Vincent. — Tragic Death of Many Thousands of People. 
Description of the Islands. — Frightful Scenes of De- 
vastation. 

TENS of thousands of men, women and children swept to sud- 
den death. Beautiful cities buried in a few minutes under an 
appalling downpour of hot cinders, ashes and streams of lava. 
Scenes of suffering and devastation that beggar description. Our 
whole country and the rest of the civilized world horrified by the 
appalling news of the greatest calamity in many centuries. Such 
is the tragic story of Martinique and other portions of the fair 
West Indies. 

There have been many disasters by flood and fire in recent 
times, but none to equal this. The Johnstown calamity was on a 
iar less scale. The dreadful Galveston flood did not result in an 
eighth part of the loss of life that has visited St. Pierre and 
other cities whose doom has been sealed by this dire calamity. In 
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as it were, a multitude of 
human beings were plunged into the jaws of death. Fine resi- 
dences shared the fate of the humbler dwellings of the poor. Build- 
ings devoted to business, churches, markets, ships in the harbor, 
all were consumed by the ruthless rain of fire. 

The news of the overwhelming disaster came as a shock to 
people everywhere. Bulletin boards in all our cities were sur- 
rounded by eager crowds to obtain the latest reports. Many who 
had friends in the stricken island were kept in suspense respect- 
ing their fate. With bated breath was the terrible calamity 
talked about, and in every part of our country committees of 
relief were immediately formed. The magnitude of the disaster 
grew from day to day. Every fresh report added to the intelli- 
gence already received, and it was made clear that many thou- 

5-MAR 65 



66 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

sands of the inhabitants in the West Indies had been swept ont 
of existence. 

In order that the reader may have an intelligent understand- 
ing of the calamity depicted in this volume, it is needful to fur- 
nish here an account of the Islands of Martinique and St. Vin- 
cent. They are of great interest, both as regards their physical 
features, their products and their inhabitants. 

Martinique, one of the West India islands, belonging to the 
chain of the Lesser Antilles, and constituting a French colony, 
lies 33 miles south of Dominica and 22 north of Saint Lucia. 
The greatest length is 45 miles, the mean width 19 ; and the sur- 
face comprises nearly 400 square miles. A cluster of volcanic 
mountains near the north end, a similar group in the south 
and a line of lower heights between them, form the backbone of 
the island, which culminates in the northwest in Mont Pelee 
(4430 feet), and has altogether a much more irregular and strongly 
marked relief than it presents to the eye — the deep ravines and 
precipitous escarpments with which it abounds being reduced in 
appearance to gentle undulations by the drapery of the forests. 

DEEP AND DESTRUCTIVE TORRENTS. 

Of the numerous streams which traverse the few miles of 
country between the watershed and the sea, about seventy or 
eighty are of considerable size, and in the rainy season become 
deep and often destructive torrents. The east coast of the 
island, exposed to the full sweep of the Atlantic, is a succession 
of inlets, headlands, islands and rocks ; the south coast is much 
more regular, but bold and steep ; and the west alone presents, in 
the bay of Fort de France, a stretch of mangrove swamp. 

Of the total area, about 83,990 acres are under cultivation, 
83,843 occupied by forests and savanna and 68,837 by fallow. On 
an average, 47,440 acres are devoted to the sugar crop, 1290 to 
coffee, 640 to cotton and 1660 to cocoa. The mean annual tem- 
perature is 8i° in the coast region, the monthly mean for June 
being 83 , and that of January 77 . Of the annual rainfall of 
87 inches, August has the heaviest share (11.3 inches), though 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 67 

the rainy season extends froni June to October ; March, the 
lowest, has 3.7. 

Martinique enjoys a remarkable immunity from hurricanes; 
half a century may pass without serious disaster from such a visita- 
tion. The great mass of the population consists of Creole negroes 
and half-castes of various grades, ranging from the "Saccatra," 
who has hardly retained any trace of Caucasian blood, to the 
so-called "Sangmele," with his mere suspicion of negro com- 
mixture. 

Fort de France, the capital, stands on a bay on the west 
coast. Since the earthquake of 1839 nearly all the houses are of 
wood, and have only one story ; the streets are laid out with great 
regularity. An abundant supply of water was introduced in 
1856. St. Pierre, the commercial centre of the island, lies farther 
north on the same coast. It consists of a lower and upper town, 
the one close and unhealthv, and the other for the most part well 
paved and pleasant. 

INHABITANTS OF MARTINIQUE. 

Martinique, also called Madina or Matinino, was discovered 
by Columbus, 15th June, 1502. It was at that time inhabited by 
Caribs, who had expelled or incorporated an older stock. In 1635 
a Norman captain, D'Enambuc, from St. Christopher's, took pos- 
session of the island, and in 1637 n ^ s nephew, Duparquet, became 
captain-general of the colony. In 1654 welcome was given to 
three Jews expelled from Brazil, and by 1658' there were at least 
five thousand people, exclusive of the Caribs, who were soon after 
exterminated. 

Purchased by the French Government from Duparquet' s 
children, Martinique was assigned to the West India Company, 
but in 1674 it became part of the royal domain. The French 
landholders at first devoted themselves to the cultivation of cotton 
and tobacco, but in 1650 sugar plantations were commenced, and 
irj 1726 the coffee plant was introduced by Desclieux, who, when 
water ran short during his voyage to the island, shared his scanty 
allowance with his seedlings. 



68 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

Slave labor having been introduced, there were 72,000 blacks 
in the island by 1736. Martinique has several times been occu- 
pied by the English. Captured by Rodney, in 1762, it was next 
year restored to the French, but after the conquest b}^ Sir John 
Jervis and Sir Charles Grey, in 1794, it was retained for eight 
years, and, seized again in 1809, it was not surrendered till 18 14. 

The interesting narrative of a traveler in the West Indies 
contains the following : 

"We are ashore in St. Pierre, the quaintest, queerest and the 

prettiest withal, among West Indian cities : all stone-built and 

stone-flagged, with very narrow streets, wooden or zinc awnings, 

and peaked roofs of red tile, pierced by gable dormers. Most of 

the buildings are painted in a clear yellow tone, which contrasts 

delightfully with the burning blue ribbon of tropical sky above ; 

and no street is absolutely level , nearly all of them climb hills, 

descend into hollows, curve, twist, describe sudden angles. There 

is everywhere a loud murmur of running water — pouring [through 

the deep gutters contrived between the paved thoroughfare and 

the absurd little sidewalks, varying in width from one to three 

feet. 

QUAINT STYLES OF ARCHITECTURE. 

The architecture is quite old : it is seventeenth century, prob- 
ably ; and it reminds one a great deal of that characterizing the 
antiquated French quarter of New Orleans. All the tints, the 
forms, the vistas, would seem to have been especially selected or 
designed for aquarelle studies — just to please the whim of some 
extravagant artist. The windows are frameless openings without 
glass ; some have iron bars ; all have heavy wooden shutters with 
movable slats, through which light and air can enter as through 
Venetian blinds. These are usually painted green or bright 
bluish-gray. 

So steep are the streets descending to the harbor — by flights 
of old mossy stone steps — that looking down them to the azure 
water you have the sensation of gazing from a cliff. From certain 
openings in the main street — the Rue Victor Hugo — you can get 
something like a bird's-eye view of the harbor with its shipping. 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 69 

The roofs of the street below are under your feet, and other streets 
are rising behind you to meet the mountain roads. They climb 
at a very steep angle, occasionally breaking into stairs of lava rock, 
all grass-tufted and moss-lined. 

The town has an aspect of great solidity ; it is a creation of 
crag — looks almost as if it had been hewn out of one mountain 
fragment, instead of having been constructed stone by stone. 
Although commonly consisting of two stories and an attic only, 
the dwellings have walls three feet in thickness ; on one street, 
facing the sea, they are even heavier, and slope outward like 
ramparts, so that the perpendicular recesses of windows and doors 
have the appearance of being opened between buttresses. It may 
have been partly as a precaution against earthquakes, and partly 
for the sake of coolness, that the early colonial architects built thus ; 
giving the city a physiognomy so well worthy of its name — the 
name of the Saint of the Rock. 

STREETS WASHED BY MOUNTAIN WATER. 

And everywhere rushes mountain water — cool and crystal 
clear, washing the streets ; from time to time you come to some 
public fountain flinging a silvery column to the sun, or showering 
bright spray over a group of black bronze tritons or bronze swans. 
The tritons on the Place Bertin you will not readily forget ; their 
curving torsos might have been modelled from the forms of those 
ebon men who toil their tirelessly all day in the great heat, roll- 
ing hogsheads of sugar or casks of rum. 

And often you will note, in the course of a walk, little drink- 
ing-fountains contrived at the angle of a building, or in the thick 
walls bordering the bulwarks or enclosing public squares; glittering 
threads of water spurting through lion-lips of stone. Some mountain 
torrent, skilfully directed and divided, is thus perpetually refresh- 
ing the city — supplying its fountains and cooling its courts. This 
is called the Gouyave water : it is not the same stream which 
sweeps and purifies the streets. 

Picturesqueness and color; these are the particular and the 
unrivalled charms of St. Pierre. As you pursue the Grande Rue, 



70 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

or Rue Victor Hugo — which traverses the town through all its 
length, undulating over hill slopes and into hollows and over a 
bridge — you become more and more enchanted by the contrast of 
the yellow-glowing walls to right and left with the jagged strip of 
gentian-blue sky overhead. Charming also it is to watch the cross 
streets climbing up to the fiery green of the mountains behind the 
town. On the lower side of the main thoroughfare other streets 
open in wonderful bursts of blue — warm blue of horizon and sea. 
The steps by which these ways descend towards the bay are 
black with age, and slightly mossed close to the wall on either 
side ; they have an alarming steepness — one might easily stum- 
ble from the upper into the lower street. Looking towards the 
water from these openings from the Grande Rue, you will notice 
that the sea line cuts across the blue space just at the level of the 
upper story of the house on the lower street corner. Sometimes, 
a hundred feet below, you see a ship resting in the azure aperture 
— seemingly suspended there in sky-color, floating in blue light. 

A REMARKABLE PEOPLE. 

And everywhere and always, through sunshine or shadow, 
comes to you the scent of the city — the characteristic odor of St. 
Pierre ; a compound odor suggesting the intermingling of sugar 
and garlic in those strange tropical dishes which Creoles love." 

A population fantastic, astonishing — a population of the 
Arabian Nights. It is many-colored ; but the general dominant 
tint is yellow, like that of the town itself — a general effect of rich 
brownish yellow. You are among a people of half-breeds — the 
finest mixed race of the West Indies. 

Straight as palms, and supple and tall, these colored women 
and men impress one powerfully by their dignified carriage and 
easy elegance of movement. They walk without swinging of 
the shoulders ; the perfectly set torso seems to remain rigid ; yet 
the step is a long, full stride, and the whole weight is springily 
poised on the very tip of the bare foot. All, or nearly all, are 
without shoes : the treading of many naked feet on the heated 
pavement makes a continuous whispering sound. 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 71 

Perhaps the most novel impression of all is that produced by 
the singularity and brilliancy of certain of the women's costumes. 
These were developed, at least a hundred years ago, by some curious 
sumptuary law regulating dress of slaves and colored people 
of free condition — a law which allowed considerable liberty as to 
material and tint, prescribing chiefly form. 

But some of these fashions suggest the Orient ; they offer 
beautiful audacities of color contrast ; and the full-dress coiffure, 
above all, is so strikingly Eastern that one might be tempted to 
believe it was first introduced into the colony by some Mohammedan 
slave. It is merely an immense Madras handkerchief, which is 
folded about the head with admirable art, like a turban — one 
bright end pushed through at the top in front, being left sticking 
up like a plume. 

PECULIARITIES OF DRESS. 

Then this turban, always full of bright canary-color, is fast- 
ened with golden brooches — one in front and one at either side. 
As for the remainder of the dress, it is simple enough ; an 
emboidered, low-cut chemise with sleeves ; a skirt, very long 
behind, but caught up and fastened in front below the breasts so as 
to bring the hem everywhere to a level with the end of the long 
chemise ; and finally as a silken kerchief, thrown over the shoulders. 
These skirts and kerchiefs, however, are exquisite in pattern and 
color ; bright crimson, bright yellow, bright blue, bright green — 
lilac, violet, rose — sometimes mingled in plaidings or checkerings 
or stripings ; black with orange, sky-blue with purple. 

And whatever be the colors of the costume, which vary aston- 
ishingly, the coiffure must be yellow — brilliant, flashing yellow ; 
the turban is certain to have yellow stripes or yellow squares. To 
this display add the effect of costly and curious jewelry ; immense 
ear-rings, each pendant being formed of five gold cylinders joined 
together (cylinders sometimes two inches long, and an inch at 
least in circumference) ; a necklace of double, triple, quad- 
ruple, or quintuple rows of large hollow gold beads (sometimes 
smooth, but generally graven). 



72 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

Now, this glowing jewelry is not a mere imitation of pure 
metal ; the ear-rings are worth forty dollars a pair ; the necklace 
of a Martinique quadroon may cost five hundred or even one thou- 
sand francs. It may be the gift of her lover ; but such articles are 
usually purchased either on time by small payments, or bead by 
bead singly until the requisite number is made up. 

But few are thus richly attired ; the greater number of the 
women carrying burdens on their heads — peddling vegetables, 
cakes, fruit, ready-cooked food, from door to door — are very simply 
dressed in a single plain robe of vivid colors reaching from neck 
to feet, and made with a train, but generally girded well up so as 
to fit close to the figure and leave the lower limbs partly bare 
and perfectly free. 

CAPABLE OF GREAT ENDURANCE. 

These women can walk all day long up and down hill in the 
hot sun, without shoes, carrying loads of from one hundred to 
one hundred and fifty pounds on their heads ; and if their little 
stock sometimes fails to come up to the accustomed weight stones 
are added to make it heavy enough. Doubtless the habit of carry- 
ing everything in this way from childhood has much to do with 
the remarkable vigor and erectness of the population. 

I have seen a grand piano carried on the heads of four men. 
With the women the load is very seldom steadied with the hand 
after having been once placed in position. The head remains 
almost motionless, but the black, quick, piercing eyes flash into 
every window and doorway to watch for a customer's signal. And 
the Creole street-cries, uttered in a sonorous, far-reaching high key, 
interblend and produce random harmonies very pleasant to hear. 

Every inch of this magic island is draped in forests, except 
where man has made temporary clearings — forests which cannot 
be described, photographed, or painted. The following description 
by Dr. B. Ruiz gives only a faint idea of the island's wonders : 

Only the sea can afford us any term of comparison for the 
attempt to describe a grand forest ; but even then one must 
imagine the sea on a day of storm, suddenly immobilized in the 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 73 

expression of its mightiest fury. For the summits of these vast 
woods repeat all the inequalities of land they cover ; and these 
inequalities are mountains from forty-two to forty-eight hundred 
feet in height, and valleys of corresponding profundity. All this 
is hidden, blended together, smoothed over by verdure, in soft and 
enormous undulations, in immense billowings of foliage. Only, 
instead of a blue line at the horizon, you have a green line ; 
instead of flashings of blue, you have flashings of green, and in 
all the tints, in all the combinations of which green is capable — 
deep green, light green, yellow green, black green. 

When your eyes grow weary — if it indeed be possible for 
them to weary — of contemplating the exterior of these tremendous 
woods, try to penetrate a little into their anterior. What an inex- 
tricable chaos it is ! The sands of a sea are not more closely 
pressed together than the trees are here — some straight, some 
curved, some upright, some toppling, fallen, or leaning against 
one another, or heaped high upon each other. 

LUXURIOUS VEGETATION. 

Climbing lianas, which cross from one tree to the other, like 
ropes passing from mast to mast, help to fill up all the gaps : and 
parasites — not timid parasites like ivy or like moss, but parasites 
which are trees self-grafted upon trees — dominate the primitive 
trunks, overwhelm them, usurp the place of their foliage, and fall 
back to the ground, forming fictitious weeping-willows. You do 
not find here, as in the great forests of the North, the eternal 
monotony of birch and fir: this is the kingdom of infinite variety; 
species the most diverse elbow each other, interlace, strangle and 
devour each other ; all ranks and orders are confounded, as in a 
human mob. The oak forces the palm to lengthen itself pro- 
digiously in order to get a few thin beams of sunlight ; for it is as 
difficult here for the poor trees to obtain one glance from this 
king of the world as the subjects of a monarchy to obtain one 
look from their monarch. As for the soil, it is needless to think 
of looking at it ; it lies as far below us, probably, as the bottom of 
the sea ; it disappeared, ever so long ago, under the heaping of 



74 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

debris, under a sort of manure that has been accumulating there 
since the creation ; you sink into it as into slime ; you walk upon 
putrefied trunks, in a dust that has no name ! 

Here, indeed, it is that one can get some comprehension of 
what vegetable antiquity signifies : a lurid light, greenish, as wan 
at noon as the light of the moon at midnight, confuses forms and 
lends them a vague and fantastic aspect ; a dense humidity exhales 
from all parts ; an odor of death prevails ; and a calm which is not 
silence (for the ear fancies it can hear the great movement of com- 
position and of decomposition perpetually going on) tends to 
inspire you with that old mysterious horror which the ancients 
felt in the primitive forests of Germany and of Gaul : 
" Arboribus suus horror inest." 

VARIOUS KINDS OF WOOD. 

Among the trees are the silk-cotton, species of mahogany 
and the caleta, or ironwood, a very strong wood. The flora is 
numerous, and closely related to that of the equatorial zone of 
South America. The fauna abounds in minor reptiles and insects. 
There are various kinds of fish and of crab. The manicon and a 
certain lizard are eaten. The only animal of note is the vicious 
serpent known as the fer-de-lance, which lurks in the woods, the 
cane-fields, and the gardens, and whose fatal bite is the only thing 
upon the island to be dreaded. This snake is from four and a 
half to seven feet long, has four fangs, at the root of which is 
secreted the virus, and rudimentary fangs to take the place of the 
old ones. The mongoos was introduced to exterminate the fer-de- 
lance, but it has not been successful. 

The climate shows three seasons — cool in spring, hot and dry 
in summer, and hot and wet in autumn and part of winter. There 
is much humidity. The tropical heat is mitigated by the sea- 
breezes and fresh winds from the mountains. 

The island has no deep harbors, although there are three 
indentations which afford good shelter. The principal of these is 
the Bay of Fort-de-France, the capital of the island, and the head- 
quarters of the French admiralty in the West Indies. On the 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 75 

couth side are trie Grande Anse du Diamante and the Bay du 
Marin ; on the west there are several other small coves. The 
eastern side is a dangerous shore, where the Atlantic breakers 
roar and foam in a grand and indescribable surf, which prohibits 
approach to land. 

Martinique is now a favored colony of France, constituting a 
department of the republic, with a governor and excellent admin- 
istration, sending a senator and two deputies to the National 
Assembly at Paris. 

The food-stuffs of the United States are absolutely necessary 
to the life of the colony, but the United States takes almost 
nothing from Martinique in return. Sugar, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, * 
cotton, and rum are the principal products, and all the planta- 
tions producing these are in a flourishing state in comparison to 
those of the adjacent British islands. There are upward of five 
hundred ordinary sugar works. 

MONEY EMPLOYED FOR EDUCATION. 

One-fourth the revenue of the island ($1,342,000) is devoted 
to education. There is a law school at Fort-de-France. There 
are three secondary schools, with five hundred pupils ; a normal 
school ; thirty-eight primary schools, with ten thousand pupils; 
and thirteen clerical and private schools. There are also two gov- 
ernment hospitals, military and civil, and the charge for a native 
in the last is twenty-five cents a day. At the two prisons the 
discipline is very mild. France also encourages agriculture by 
giving a bounty of ten cents for every coffee and cocoa-tree. 
This is to prevent the exclusive cultivation of the sugar-cane. 

There is also a colonial bank, the object of which is to assist 
the planters ; experts determine the value of the crops, and the 
bank advances one-third their value. If the obligation is not met 
by the crops, the bank carries over its claim on the valuation oi 
the next year's crop. 

An excellent system of highways has reduced the difficulty 
of traveling across the rugged island. Transportation is also 
carried on by small coasting- vessels, although on the eastern side 



56 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

of the island this is especially difficult, as the cargoes have to be 
carried through the surf on the backs of men, or pushed by swim- 
ming negroes in small boats through the water. 

France has always nurtured this colony with a tender, loving 
hand, giving it the best of administrations, helping it freely when 
in distress, and protecting its industries whenever possible. 

The large towns are St. Pierre and Fort-de-France, on the 
leeward side, and Grande Anse, on the windward shore. St. Pierre 
on the west side, is the principal city. It is built on cliffs over- 
looking the bay of the same name, which is nothing more than a 
very slight curve in the shore-line, vessels having to anchor in the 
open roadstead. It is a picturesque and beautiful place, with neat 
public buildings and an interesting Creole population. The town 
has a handsome cathedral and other public buildings. 

SUBSTANTIAL APPEARANCE OF THE TOWN. 

The town has an aspect of great solidity, looking as if it had 
been hewn out of one mountain fragment instead of constructed 
stone by stone. Although commonly consisting of only two 
stories and an attic, the dwellings have walls three feet in thick- 
ness. There are also many fountains throughout the city, 
carrying drinking water, which comes from another source than 
that of the water in the gutters. The main street is known as 
Rue Victor Hugo. 

St Pierre has many images and some fine statues. One of the 
latter, standing on a height and easily visible from the sea, is a 
gigantic "Christ," which overlooks the bay; a great white 
"Virgin" surmounts the Morne d 1 Orange, to the south of the city 
while "Our Mother of the Watch" overlooks the anchorage. 
There is a great white cathedral with a superb chime of bells. 
Behind the city is a beautiful cemetery. 

The market of St. Pierre is most picturesque. It is in the 
middle of a square surrounding a fountain, and filled with country- 
women dressed in gorgeous Oriental colors, selling their little 
products — oranges, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa — while the fisher- 
men lift their boats bodily out of the water and convert them into 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 77 

stalls, where can be seen a most wonderful fish display, rivaling 
in colors the tints of the rainbow, and having a hundred queer 
French names, which it is useless to repeat here, such as the Bon 
Die manie moin ( "The good God handle me" ), etc. 

A fine road leads from St. Pierre to the village of Mon Rouge, 
situated two thousand feet above the sea. In the village is a 
shrine to the Virgin, which is visited by the inhabitants. Along 
this road are many shrines and little chapels with crucifixes and 
statues, with lamps burning before them. This road leads by 
the beautiful botanical garden, and passes many fine and solid 
stone bridges. 

MILITARY CENTRE AND ARSENAL. 

The capital, Fort-de-France, formerly Fort Royal, is situated 
on a beautiful but shallow bay near the south end of the west side 
of the island. The town, though secondary in commercial 
importance to St. Pierre, is the military center and arsenal of the 
French Antilles, the rendezvous of the navy, the terminus of the 
French transatlantic steamships and West Indian cable system. 
It was half ruined by an earthquake in 1839, and nearly con- 
sumed by a fire in 1890. After the last event the inhabitants 
offered a bounty of fifty per cent, of the value of the old 
buildings to help rebuild, and eight hundred thousand dollars 
were thus spent. Among the several interesting statues adorning 
its public gardens the most noted is that of the Empress 
Josephine, erected by the people of the island in honor of her 
nativity. She was born in Martinique. 

Throughout the island there are many little villages, such as 
Le Montine, Petit Bourg, Le Francois. Grande Anse is situated 
across the high mountain ranges, and is reached by a picturesque 
road from St. Pierre, which rises into the higher passes, and is 
shaded by tree-ferns, accompanied by graceful bamboo and arbor- 
escent grass. It is in a region of black stones, out of which the 
houses are built. 

Black volcanic boulders dot the hillsides, and even the sands 
of the beach are black, and full of valuable magnetic iron. The 



78 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

village is a small place, principally noted for the wonderful 
expertness of its men in swimming the breakers, and for the. 
beauty of its female " porteuses" — young girls who carry burdens 
upon their heads. At Diamond Rock there is the tomb of the 
commander of one of the English ships, and the remains of the 
cistern which furnished the English with water while the rock was 
fortified by them in 1844. 

Not less interesting than the natural features are the inhab- 
itants of this island, distinguished by beauty, thrift, and a remark- 
able and peculiar individuality. Most of them were either blacks 
or members of that remarkable mixed race which distinguishes 
the island. The mixed populations show every variety of color 
and type — mulattoes, copre, chabin, and mates — but they are gener- 
ally healty and thriving. Traces of Caribbean blood are seen in 
their color, physiognomy, and physical characteristics. 

ISLAND OF ST. VINCENT. 

St. Vincent is a single island with no outlying rocks or islets. 
It is seventeen miles long and ten miles broad, with an area of one 
hundred and thirty-one square miles, and a population of nearly 
fifty thousand people. A ridge of mountains passes along the 
middle through its whole length, the highest of which, the Sou- 
friere, is at the north extremity. Its scenery is slightly different 
from that of other Caribbees. There are more extensive open views 
— slopes and valleys — while vast areas of more recent cinder and 
lava indicate that later volcanic action has taken place. 

The island culminates in the vast crater of Morne Garon, 
which was the scene of a tremendous eruption in 181 2, when the 
earthquakes which for two years had terrified the West Indian 
region and the South American coast culminated in an explosion 
which was a most devastating and far reaching cataclysm, being 
rivaled within recent years only by the explosion of Krakatau, in 
the Straits of Sunda. In Caracas ten thousand people were buried 
in a single moment, and ruin was wrought along the entire line of 
the Andes by earthquakes accompanying the event. 

The Soufriere of St. Vincent vomited vast clouds of dust, 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 79 

which darkened the sun for an entire day and spread over one hun- 
dred miles of sea and land. This eruption changed the configura- 
tion of the island and destroyed its eastern end. The present 
crater, formed at that time, is a half-mile in diameter and five 
hundred feet deep, and is now a beautiful lake walled in by ragged 
cliffs to a height of eight hundred feet. Since 1812 the volcanic 
forces have been quiescent, until the late eruption, and nature had 
made the island more beautiful than ever. 

Kingstown, the capital, with about eight thousand inhabitants 
is on the southwest side, the town stretching along a lovely bay, with 
mountains gradually rising behind in the form of an amphitheatre 
Its red-roofed houses and a few fine stone structures show pictur- 
esquely through the palm groves. Behind these are the governor's 
house and botanical buildings, overlooking the town. Three streets, 
broad and lined with good houses, front the water. On these are 
stone buildings occupied as a police station and government 
stores. There are many other intersecting highways, some of 
which lead back to the foot-hills, from which good roads ascend the 

mountains. 

DECAY OF THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 

In St. Vincent we meet the same story of the decay of the 
sugar industry ; here it is on the verge of extinction No im- 
provements have been introduced in the manufacture, and the 
canes have in recent years suffered severely from disease. No 
industry has taken its place. Arrowroot is next in importance to the 
sugar, but its price has also declined, adding to the depression. It 
is grown in fields which are planted like Indian corn when sown 
for fodder. 

When matured it is dug up and taken to a mill, where the roots 
are broken off, ground, washed, and strained, and the mass allowed 
to settle for a few days. The product is then placed on wire frames 
with different-sized meshes to dry. It gradually shifts down 
through these, and is then barreled for shipment. In recent years 
it has brought about five dollars a barrel, or eight cents per pound ; 
formerly it brought from forty to sixty cents. 

Wages are very low and constantly being reduced, and there 



80 TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 

is a lamentable want of employment even at the price of less than 
twenty-five cents a day for able-bodied men, who are constantly 
emigrating, leaving the women and children to shift for themselves. 
There are few Caribs remaining in St. Vincent, the remnant of a 
large number that lived here until 1796, when Great Britain 
deported five thousand of them to the coast of Honduras. 

Between St. Vincent and Granada, instead of open water, we 
find several hundred little rocky islands, all disposed in the trend of 
the larger Caribbees, but offering an endless variety in shape 
and configuration. Kingsley has summarized their essential 
features as follows : 

On leaving St. Vincent, the track lies past the Grenadines. 
For sixty miles, long low islands of quaint forms and euphonious 
names — Becquia, Mustique, Canonau, Carriacou, He de Rhone — 
rise a few hundred feet out of the unfathomable sea, bare of wood, 
edged with cliffs and streaks of red and gray rock, resembling, 
says Dr. Davy, the Cyclades of the Grecian Archipelago ; their 
number is counted at three hundred. The largest of them all is 
not eight thousand acres in extent, the smallest about six hun- 
dred. 

STOCK FOR EXPORTATION. 

A quiet, prosperous race of little yeomen, besides a few plant- 
ers, dwell there ; the latter feeding and exporting much stock, the 
former much provisions, and both troubling themselves less than 
of yore with sugar and cotton. They build coasting vessels, and 
trade with them to the larger islands ; and they might be, it is 
said, if they chose, much richer than they are — if that be any 
good to them. 

The steamer does not stop at any of these little sea-hermitages, 
so that we could only watch their shores ; and they were worth 
watching. They had been, plainly, sea-gnawu for countless ages, 
and may, at some remote time, have been all joined in one long 
ragged chine of hills, the highest about one thousand feet. The}^ 
seem to be, for the most part, made up of marls and limestones, 
with trap-dikes and other igneous matters here and there. 

And one could not help entertaining the fancy that they were 



TRAGIC DEATH OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. 81 

a specimen of what the other islands were once, or at least would 
have been now, had not each of them had its volcanic vents to 
pile up hard lavas thousands of feet aloft, above the marine strata, 
and so consolidate each ragged chine of submerged mountain into 
one solid conical island, like St. Vincent at their northern end, 
and at their southern end that beautiful Grenada to which we 
were fast approaching, and which we reached, on our outward 
voyage, at nightfall, running in toward a narrow gap of moon-lit 
cliffs, beyond which we could discern the lights of a town. 

6-MAR 



CHAPTER II. 

Graphic Accounts of the Great Disaster. — Tragedy Com- 
pleted in the Brief Space of a Few Minutes.— Despatches 
from United States Officials. — Volcanic Islands De- 
scribed. — Urgent Appeals for Help. 

NO such appalling disaster, distinguised by the suddenness of 
the blow, the number of the victims, the completeness of the 
desolation , has ever come to the civilized world with such overwhelm- 
ing and harrowing force. The destruction of Pompii is equaled 
by this greatest volcanic eruption of modern times. Nearly fifty 
thousand souls sent instantly to eternity. All accounts agree that 
only a few minutes were required to overwhelm St. Pierre with 
fiery cinders and ashes, consuming the entire population not only 
of this city, but of a large section of the surrounding country. 
The first reports of the disaster were almost too incredible to be 
believed. 

The following graphic accounts were among the first 
received : 

The French cruiser Suchet arrived at Point-a-Pitre, Island of 
Guadeloupe, French West Indies, from Port-de-France, on the 
morning of May 9th, bringing several refugees. She confirmed 
the report that the town of St. Pierre, Martinique, was entirely 
destroyed at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning of May 8th by a vol- 
canic eruption. 

The commander of the Suchet reported that at 1 o'clock on 
May 8th, the entire town of St. Pierre was wrapped in flames. 
He endeavored to save about thirty persons, burned from the ves- 
sels in the harbor. His officers went ashore in small boats seek- 
ing for survivors, but were unable to penetrate the town. They 
saw heaps of bodies upon the wharves, and it is believed that not 
a single person in St. Pierre at the moment of the catastrophe 
escaped. 

The Governor of the colony was but recently in St. Pierre 
82 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. S3 

The extent of the catastrophe cannot be imagined. The captain 
of the Britsh steamer Roddam was very seriously injured. All 
of his officers and engineers are dead. Nearly every member of 
the crew is dead. The supercargo and ten of the crew of the 
Roddam jumped overboard at St. Peirre and were lost. 

The British Royal Mail steamer Esk, which arrived at St. 
Lucia on the morning of May 9th, reported having passed St. 
Pierre the night before. The steamer was covered with ashes, 
though she was five miles distant from the town, which was in 
impenetrable darkness. A boat was sent in as near as possible 
to the shore, but not a living soul was seen ashore. Only flames 
were seen. The Quebec Steamship Company's steamer Roraima 
was seen to explode and disappear. 

HAD TO FLEE FROM ST. VINCENT. 

The British schooner Ocean Traveler, of St. John, N. B., 
arrived at the Island of Dominica, British West Indies, at 3 
o'clock in the afternoon. She reported having been obliged to 
flee from the island of St. Vincent, British West Indies, during 
the afternoon of Wednesday, May 7th, in consequence of a heavy 
fall of sand from a volcano which was erupting there. She tried 
to reach the island of St. Lucia, British West Indies, but adverse 
currents prevented her from so doing. The schooner arrived 
opposite St. Pierre, Martinique, Thursday morning, May 8th. 
While several miles off, the volcano of Mont Pelee exploded, and 
fire from it swept the whole town of St. Pierre, destroying the 
town and the shipping there, including the cable repair ship 
Grappler, of the West India and Panama Telegraph Company, of 
London, which was engaged in repairing the cable near the Guerin 
factories. The Ocean Traveler while on her way to Dominica 
encountered a quantity of wreckage. 

The cable officials at San Juan, Porto Rico, received advices 
from the Island of Dominica that a schooner which arrived there 
from the Island of Martinique reported that more than forty thou- 
sand people were supposed to have perished during the volcanic 
disturbance in Martinique. The cable repair steamer Grappler, 



84 GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 

belonging to the West India and Panama Telegraph Company, of 
London, was lost with all hands during the eruption of Mont 
Pelee. The Grappler was one of the first ships to disappear. 

The following despatch was sent out from Washington on 
Friday evening, May 9th : 

"Washington is appalled to-night by the catastrophe that 
has stricken Martinique. According to official advices but thirty 
persons out of twenty-five thousand survive from nature's destruc- 
tion of the city of St. Pierre. The administration is still in igno- 
rance of the effect of the earthquake upon other sections of the 
island, which had a population of 165,000. 

" Further seismic disturbances are apprehended, and fears 
are entertained that some of the American possessions, including 
St. Thomas and St. Johns, which are practically the property of 
the United States, may be affected. 

DESPATCH FROM OUR CONSUL. 

''Secretary Hay received this afternoon this dispatch from 
Consul Lonis H. Ayme, stationed at Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadaloupe : 
" ' Secretary of State, Washington : 

"'At 7 o'clock A. M. on the 8th instant, a storm of steam, 
mud and fire enveloped the city and roadstead at St. Pierre, 
destroying every house in the city and community. Not more 
than thirty persons escaped with their lives. Eighteen vessels 
were burned and sunk with all on board, including four American 
vessels, and a steamer from Quebec, named Roiaima. The United 
States Consnl and family are reported among the victims. A war 
vessel has come to Guadeloupe for provisions, and will leave at 5 
tomorrow. '"(Signed) Ayme, Consul.' 

"This dispatch reached the State Department yesterday from 
Consul Ayme : 

" Secretary of State, Washington : 

" ' Communication with Martinique by telegraph interrupted. 
Unable to communicate with the island. Accordino- to informa- 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 



85 



tion I received a great many people are killed there by an earth- 
quake. Frequent earthquakes in Guadeloupe. 

'"(Signed) Ayme, Consul.' 

" Appeals were received by the State Department from per- 
sons living in New York, who have relatives and interests in 
Martinique that war ships be immediately dispatched to the island 
to render assistance. Secretary Moody and Rear Admiral Taylor 
considered this morning the advisability of ordering a vessel to 
St. Pierre, but it was decided not to take action until the full ex- 
tent of the disaster was known. 

" The ocean-going tug Potomac, stationed at San Juan, was 
ordered to sail for St. Pierre. She is under the command of Lieu- 
tenant B. B. McCormick. The only other vessel the United States 
has in or near the Caribbean Sea are the Cincinnati, which is at 
Santo Domingo; the Yankton, at Cienfuegos, and the Eagle and 
Vixen, at Havana." 

DESTROYED BY STORM OF FIRE. 

A despatch from Paris stated that the commander of the 
French cruiser Suchet telegraphed to the Minister of Marine, M. 
de Lanessan, from Fort-de-France, Island of Martinique, under 
date of Thursday, May 8, at to P. M., as follows : 

"Have just returned from St. Pierre, which has been com- 
pletely destroyed by an immense mass of fire, which fell on the 
town at about eight in the morning. The entire population, about 
twenty-five thousand, is supposed to have perished. I have 
brought back the few survivors, about thirty. All the shipping 
in the harbor has been destroyed by fire. The eruption continues." 

The commander of the Suchet, at Fort-de-France, was ordered 
to return to St. Pierre, Martinique, with all the speed possible, 
and to forward details of the disaster to the French Government 
The Suchet had gone to the island of Guadeloupe in order to 
obtain provisions. It was feared that M. L. Mouttet, the Gover- 
nor of Martinique, had perished. He telegraphed May 7 that he 
was proceeding to St. Pierre. Senator Knight is also supposed 
to have been at St, Pierre, 



86 GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 

The Colonial Minister, M. Decrais, received at 6 o'clock in 
the evening two cable messages from the Secretary General of 
Martinique, J. E. G. l'Huerre, sent respectively at 5 and half- 
past 10 o'clock. The earlier cable reported that the wires were 
broken down between Fort-de-France and St. Pierre, but it was 
added that in view of reports that the eruption of Mont Pelee had 
wiped out the town of St. Pierre all the boats available at Fort- 
de-France had been despatched to the assistance of the inhabitants 
of that place. The second despatch confirmed the reports of the 
destruction of St. Pierre and its environs and shipping by a rain 
of fire, and said it was supposed that the whole population had 
been annihilated, with the exception of a few injured persons 
rescued by the cruiser Suchet. 

INCIDENTS OF THE CALAMITY. 

Immediately after the receipt of the above despatches the 
flag over the Colonial Office was draped with crape and hoisted at 
half-mast, M. Bouguenot, a sugar planter of the island of Mar- 
tinique, received a cable despatch from Fort-de-France, sent by 
the manager of the Francais Factor}*, announcing that he had 
"tried to reach St. Pierre, but found the coast covered with ashes 
and the town enveloped in dust, and could not land." Senator 
Knight, who is referred to in the despatch from Paris as having 
probably been at St. Pierre at the time of the. disaster, is the 
President of the General Council, or local legislative body of the 
island of Martinique. 

On May 9th United States Consul Ayme cabled the State 
Department from Guadeloupe that great consternation prevailed 
in that localit}* in consequence of earthquakes and volcanic 
activity. Loud noises were heard continuously, which were 
ascribed to volcanic action. Telegraphic communication with Mar- 
tinique was broken in every direction. He was informed that many 
thousands of people had been killed in and about Martinique. 

Thomas T. Prentis was the Consul and Amedee Testart the 
Vice Consul at St. Pierre. Mr. Prentis was born in Michigan, 
and appointed into the consular service from Massachusetts. Mr, 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 87 

Testart was born in and appointed Vice Consul from Louisiana. 
Mr. Prentis was about sixt} T years old. He entered the consular 
service in 1S71, when he was appointed Consul at the Seychelles 
Islands. He was appointed Consul at Mauritus on March 29, 
1S80, and retired in 1894. He was appointed Consul at Rouen, 
France, on January 11, 1900; in May of the same year he was, 
transferred to Batavia, and six months later was sent to Mar- 
tinique. Mr. Testart entered the service in 1898. 

Colonel Louis H. Ayme, United States Consul at Guadeloupe, 
was, so far as known, the one American in a position to be most 
full}- informed regarding the catastrophe in Martinique. He was 
not only not far from the stricken island, but is familiar with it 
through several trips he has made there during his consulateship 
at Gaudeloupe. 

IN AN AGONY OF SUSPENSE. 

Colonel Ayme has spent much of his time during the last 
twenty years in Central America and the West Indies. A few 
years after his graduation in 1874, from Columbia University, he 
was appointed Consul at Merida, Yucatan, a post he held until 
1884. He then made the collection of antiquities in the States of 
Southern Mexico which bears his name in the Smithsonian Insti- 
tute. 

New Yorkers who have friends or relatives in St. Pierre 
passed j^esterday in an agony of suspense. One of these was 
Ferdinand Chatenay, an employe of the Seaboard National Bank. 
Mr. Chatenay was born in St. Pierre and lived there for sixteen 
years, before he came to New York. His father, Aristide Chate- 
nay, is the superintendent of a large sugar estate on the island 
of Guadeloupe, but his mother and two sisters continued to live 
in their old home in St. Pierre, where young Mr. Chatenay visited 
them from time to time. From one such visit he had only 
recently returned. What their fate has been the son and brother 
could only imagine. 

Wholly unfitted for his duties, he sat eagerly scanning the 
cable despatches in the newspapers, trying to find a ray of hope 



88 GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 

from the doomed city. In the absence of details he found little 
encouragement. 

" If the ruin was caused chiefly by a tidal wave," said Mr. 
Chatenay, "my family and many others may have escaped. 
They lived at almost the extreme upper end of the residential 
section, which is known as ' the new town.' It lies about two 
hundred metres or more than six hundred feet above the level of 
the old town, which lies along the shore of the roadstead and runs 
back thence to the foot of the cliffs. On the high slopes of the 
new town cluster many of the most attractive villas of the well- 
to-do residents of St. Pierre. 

" If the greatest danger had been that of inundation persons 
livine several hundred feet above the sea would have had a fair 
chance to escape, but I see that some of the despatches describe 
the calamity as the descent of a great mass of fire and burning 
lava. The fact that steamships lying anchored in the. roadstead 
were smothered and seared under the fiery shower leaves me 
little ground to hope that those on the higher slopes could have 
saved their lives. Indeed, as they were just that much nearer the 
volcano's crater, their peril was proportionately greater." 

PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN ST. PIERRE. 

In the old city, which extends along the curve of the shore 
and runs back to the highlands, were concentrated nearly all the 
commercial establishments— the banks, public buildings and struc- 
tures of greatest importance. From the shore line back to the 
heart of this section is hardly more than 300 yards. In this 
quarter are located the Custom House, the British and American 
Consulates, the Chamber of Commerce, the Episcopal residence 
of the Bishop of Martinique, the military barracks, big enough to 
accommodate two thousand soldiers, but not now garrisoned since 
the military and naval base of the island is at Fort-de-Frauce. 
Here too were the Treasury Department, the Military Hospital, 
the Banque clela Martinique, the Banque Transatl antique, the Col- 
onial Bank of London and the Credit Foncier Colonial. This was 
a busy centre, a prosperous little city of 25,000 inhabitants. 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 89 

St. Pierre was the wealthiest city of the Windward Islands in 
proportion to its population. Among its prosperous industries 
were about fifty rum distilleries, each with an output of from five 
hundred to five thousand quarts daily. Another big concern was 
the Tonne le Rie Mecanique, a great cooperage factory, represent- 
ing an investment of not less than $500,000. Sugar cane was grown 
extensively throughout the island and there were about thirty 
central factories the largest of which ground an annual output of 
about one million tons of cane. Nearly all the big distilleries 
were owned by H. Berte, a wealthy Frenchman. He lives in Ponce, 
but most of his business interests centred in Martinique. 

RICH WITH COCOA GROVES. 

In the northern part of the island all the valleys sloping down 
from the mountains were rich with cocoa groves, the humid mois- 
ture of the lower lands being admirably adapted to the cocoa 
industry, which had come to be one of the most important on 
the island. It requires three years to grow a crop of cocoa, but 
once the grove is started in a good damp soil it becomes a very 
profitable investment. These cocoa trees are all destroyed, as the 
valleys were the natural course of the fiery flood in finding its way 
down toward the shore. Eight miles back from St. Pierre, on the 
veiy slope of Mont Pelee, and not more than one thousand, five hun- 
dred yards from the crater of the volcano, which destroyed the 
city, lies the fashionable summer resort colony of Morne Rouge. 

Here were the favorite villas of the rich men of Martinique, 
and very beautiful many of them were. The charming little suburb 
had a summer population of about four or five thousand. Its alti- 
tude made it delightfully cool, and in the warmest months it was 
always popular. In 1891 it was ravaged by the great cyclone that 
devastated the island, but it had been restored and rebuilt more 
attractively than ever. Man\ r of the handsome summer homes 
are not generally occupied before June, but others are tenanted 
early in May. 

Mr. Chisholm, the purser of the Quebec line steamship Fon- 
tabelle, saw the smoke of what must have been the preliminary 



90 GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 

eruption when the ship lay at anchor at Dominica, April 25, and 
called the attention of the passengers to it, but it was supposed 
to be probably from a forest fire on the mountains. 

R. T. Dorn, of the French West Indian trading department 
of the American Trading Company, gave a roster of important 
commercial concerns in Martinique, in addition to those named by 
Mr. Chateuay. They were all so situated that there is little hope 
that any of them escaped ruin. They are : — Pilsarmer & Co., 
agents for the Quebec Steamship Company ; De Garagorri & J. 
Savon, cooperage firm ; Bard Fessila, St. Leyer, Lalun & Co. ; 
Riaisemenyl & Co., Gaston, Clarris & Co. ; T. Knight & Fils, 
Aine & Co., Lassarres Freres, De Maissias & Freres. 

ACCOUNT OF VOLCANIC EXPLOSIONS. 

Professor Robert T. Hill, of the United States Geological 
Survey, and Geologist of the Agassiz West Indian Expedition, 
furnishes the following account of the West India Islands and 
the volcanic explosions which frequently occur : 

Across the throat of the Caribbean extends a chain of 
islands (the Caribbees), which are really smouldering furnaces, 
with fires banked up, ever ready to break forth at some unexpected 
and inopportune moment. This group, commencing with Saba, 
on the north, near our own Puerto Rica, and ending with Grenada, 
on the south, near Trinidad, consists of ancient ash heaps, piled 
up in times past by volcanic action. These old ash heaps have 
weathered into fertile soil, which, bathed by an undue share of 
moisture, has become covered with ripe growths of damp and 
mouldering vegetation. This same soil also produces all the 
richest vegetable products of the tropics. 

These volcanic islands have been slowly piling up since 
the beginning of the Tertiary Period, and their bases extend 
beneath the waters for a depth as great as their summits project 
above it, making their total height nearly ten thousand feet above 
the submerged bases. 

The northern islands of the necklace, like Saa and St. 
Bustatius, are simple crater cones, but the centre of the chain con- 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 91 

sists of four larger islands — Guadeloupe, Dominica, San Lucia 
and St. Vincent — each of which is a complicated mass of old 
volcanic vents, whose peaks attain their greatest height in Mount 
Dioblotim, in Dominica, 4,747 feet above the sea. 

These volcanoes do not conform to the type which most 
people have in mind, for from them there flow no fiery streams of 
lava, nor do they always give days of warning before their 
outbreaks. On the other hand, their eruptions consist of hot 
water, cinders and mud. Their explosions come with terrific sud- 
denness and when least expected. In volcanoes which eject lava, 
the ascending column of molten liquid vibrates the earth for days 
or months before it reaches the surface, and the people of the 
vicinity can always foretell the eruptions. This is not so with 
the cinder type, for they explode suddenly and do their damage 
without much warnig. 

ERUPTIONS AT LONG INTERVALS. 

While the explosions by which the mud and cinder were 
ejected have been sudden, they have taken place only at long 
intervals of time, each one adding its pile to the surface debris 
and obliterating the previous landscape. 

It had been so long since any explosions occurred that most 
geographers, as well as the inhabitants of the island, had con- 
sidered that the forces which produced them Mere spent, and 
classified them as extinct volcanoes. It is true that the Soufriere 
of Gaudeloupe, has sent up from its summit from time immem- 
orial faint puffs of steam, and that upon Dominica and other of 
the islands there were a few hot springs, but for nearly a hundred 
years there had not been the least sign of explosion. There is 
also an old crater or soufriere on the Island of St. Lucia which 
contains some boiling springs. 

Within human history there has been but one serious erup- 
tion in the Caribbee Islands, but this, like the present catastrophe, 
was one of the most destructive the world had ever seen. In 1812, 
the mountain of Morne Garon, on the island of St. Vincent which 
is south of Martinique, exploded. The explosion was a most 



92 GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 

fatal and far reaching cataclysm, being equalled in recent years 
only by that of Krakatoa, in the Straits of Sunda. In Caracas, 
ten thousand persons were buried in a single moment, and after 
this event ruin was wrought all along the line of the Andes by 
earthquakes. 

Morne Garon vomited vast clouds of dust, which darkened 
the sun for an entire day and spread over a hundred miles of sea 
and land. The volumes of mud changed the configuration of the 
island, as well as its eastern end. The present crater, formed at 
that time, is half a mile in diameter and five hundred feet deep, 
and is now a beautiful lake, walled in by rocky cliffs to a height 
of eight hundred feet. Its slopes are covered with peaceful vege- 
tation and fields of cane. 

The island of Martinique is composed almost entirely of old 
volcanic material, and is dominated by three conspicuous peaks, 
which have probably been volcanic in the past. Mount Pelee is 
the highest of these, and dominates the northern end of the island. 
Near the center of the island is Carbet, 3,960 feet in height, and 
near the southwestern end, Vauclin, 1,657 ^ ee ^- 

QUIET AND ATTRACTIVE TOWN. 

In a peaceful bight behind the sheltering slopes of Pelee 
lay St. Pierre. The city, with its 25,000 inhabitants, isolated 
from the rest of the island and the world, except by the call of an 
occasional passing steamer, led a tranquil and quiet existence. 
So narrow was the sloping beach upon which it was situated that 
there was hardly room for its population, crowded in houses o± 
antique pattern, built in old French colonial days. The streets 
were paved with cobble stone, and through each gutter flowed a 
quiet stream of mountain water. The inhabitants were almost 
entirely Martiniques, that queer race composed of a mixture of 
African, French and Carib blood, noted for its beauty and its 
misfortunes. 

Hurricanes, plague, misgovernment and the French-English 
wars played frequent havoc with these people, but the calamity 
resulting from the explosion of Mont Pelee is one of which they 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 93 

never dreamed. They had looked upon its verdure clad slopes 
only as the home of the sprites and goblins which abound in their 
peculiar folk lore, and of the dreaded Fer-de-L/ance, the most fatal 
serpent in existence, which inhabits only this island and Sau 
Lucia. 

What happened at Mont Pelee was probabl3 T this : A gigantic 
explosion of steam and gas, accompanied by a shower of red hot 
cinders, which, falling upon the homes and shipping, burned and 
partially buried them. Volcanism is still one of the mosi inex- 
plicable and profound problems, which defies the power of geolo- 
gists to explain, and one of its most singular peculiarities is the 
fact that it sometimes breaks forth simultaneously in widely 
distant portions of the earth. 

A sympathetic relation of this kind has long been known 
between Hecla and Vesuvius, and it is very probable that the 
Carib volcanoes have some such sympathetic relation with the 
volcanoes of Central America and Southern Mexico. At the time 
of the explosion of St. Vincent other explosions preceded or 
followed it in northern South America and Central America. 

MANY VOLCANIC DISTURBANCES. 

The present outburst of Mont Pelee, in Martinique, is appar- 
ently the culmination of a number of recent volcanic disturbances 
which have been unusually severe. Colima, in Mexico, was in 
eruption but a few months ago, while Chelpancingo, the capital of 
the State of Guerrero, was nearly destroyed by earthquakes 
which followed. Only recently the cities of Gautemala were 
shaken down by tremendous earthquakes. When news can be 
received from the inaccessible interior of Central America, it will 
probably be learned that some of the numerous volcanic summits 
of that region have exploded. Although widely distant, there 
seems to be a geological relation between the Caribbean and the 
Central American volcanic chains. 

The whole region of the American Mediterranean, instead of 
being a bod} 7 of water, as it appears on the maps, is looked upon 
b} 7 geologists as a great east and west mountain system, whose 



94 GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 

ridges, except the great Antilles, are submerged beneath the 
waters, where profound valleys and submerged mountain crests are 
found between the banks and depths. This Antillean mountain 
system suddenly terminates at each end to the east and west, with 
lines of great volcanoes running at right angles to it. These are 
the volcanic chains of Central America and of the Caribbean 
Islands. 

It is a singular fact that both these volcanic chains are of 
the peculiar type which erupt cinders and mud, and it certainly 
appears as if there was some sympathetic relation between them. 

Professor Milne, of Chicago, the highest authority in the 

world on volcanic explosions, classifies eruptions into two grades — 

those that build up very slowly and those that destroy most 

rapidly. 

HOW MOUNTAINS ARE FORMED. 

Eruptions that build up mountains are periodical wellings 
over of lava and comparatively harmless, but in the building up, 
which may cover a period of centuries, natural volcanic vents are 
closed up, and gases and blazing fires accumulate beneath that 
must eventually find the air. Sooner or later they must burst 
forth, and the terrific disasters of the second class take place. 
It is the same cause that makes a boiler burst. 

In 1883 Asama of Japan exploded. It was one of the most 
frightful eruptions of modern times. It came down eight thousand 
feet, a torrent of mud and fire, five to ten miles broad, which 
overwhelmed forty-two villages. Historians have never been able 
to determine how many lives were actually lost by this explosion, 
but the total ran into thousands. 

Bandaisan of Japan blew up on July 15, 1888, and sent 
164,000,000 yards of rock and earth into the valley beneath. The 
la^a stream from its head travelled at the rate of forty-eight miles 
an hour and was a hundred feet deep. Its width was five to 
fifteen miles, but only 401 persons lost their lives. 

The greatest volcanic explosion ever known was that of 
Krakatoa, an island in the Straits of Sunda, between Java and 
Sumatra. The eruption began on May 20, 18S3, but the great 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 95 

explosion did not come until August 26. The flames from the 
crater could be seen forty miles distant. The crashing explosion 
which followed the flames set in motion air waves that travelled 
around the earth four times one way and three times the other. 
Every self-recording barometer in the world was disturbed seven 
times by that blow up. These waves travelled at the rate of 700 
miles per hour. 

The noise of this eruption was heard at Borneo, 1160 miles 
distant. It was felt in Burmah, 1478 miles distant, and at Perth 
West, Australia, 1902 miles away. The explosion was heard ovei 
a sound zone covering one-thirteenth of the earth's surface. 

IMMENSE SEA WAVES. 

Sea waves were created by the explosion, which destroyed all 
the towns and villages on the shores of Java and Sumatra border- 
ing the strait, all vessels and shipping there and 36,380 lives ; 
raised a tidal wave at Merak one hundred and thirty-five feet 
high, covering five hundred thousand square miles of ocean with 
lava dust several inches thick, submerged an island six miles 
square and seven hundred feet high to a depth of one hundred and 
fifty fathoms, and created two new islands. 

Professor Milne was asked after Krakatoa's performance : — 

" Is it likely that there are volcanoes in the world at present 
that have been quiet for a long time, but will one day or another 
blow their heads off ? " 

" It is almost certain there are." 

" Some in Europe ? " 

" Many in Europe." 

" Some in the United States ?" 

" Undoubtedly." 

Professor Hill's prediction that intelligence would be received 
of earthquakes in South America was fully verified. The steam- 
ship Newport, from Panama, and way ports, was at La Libertad 
on the night of April 18, 1902, when the Republic of Guatemala 
was shaken from end to end by a series of earthquakes. The 
shock was felt aboard the Newport, but it was not until Ocos was 



96 GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 

reached that those on the steamship had any idea of the serious- 
ness of the situation further inland. According to cablegrams 
received here and reports heard in Ocos by the officers of the 
Newport the damage was terrific and the loss of life large. 

In Ocos itself there was more than enough evidence of the 
frightful convulsion that had swept the land and left death and 
destruction in its path. The land upon which Ocos stands was 
converted by the subterranean disturbance into a chaotic condition. 
The earth rolled up in three distinct waves, which still rear their 
crests where they stood when the convulsion ceased. Between 
each wave is a wide and deep abyss. There is not a house in 
Ocos left standing. The river banks are squeezed together and 
the street is now twenty feet narrower than before. The bed of 
the river gave up the remains of a wreck that disappeared in the 
mud five years before. 

RIVER BANKS CONTRACTED. 

When the earthquake came and squeezed the river banks 
together it forced the wreck from the mud and returned it hieh 
and dry. The railroad bridge across the river was telescoped by 
the contraction of the banks, and the wharf which was Ocos' pride 
now stands as a monument to the earthquake's ruthless strength, 
a misshapen mass of badly tangled angles. 

Further news of the earthquake has just reached Victoria, 
B. C, by the British war ship Grafton, which was at San Jose at 
the time. The officers of the ship say that the city of Escuintla, 
capital of the Guatemalan province of the same name, was almost 
completely destroyed. The shock was only felt for forty seconds 
at Guatemala City. 

At Escuintla the shock was felt for about two minutes and 
houses were cracked and destroyed. Hundreds of persons were 
buried in the ruins and struck by the falling timbers and stones. 
The loss of life was variously estimated at from three thousand 
to five thousand in the city of Escuintla, according to some reports 
published in San Jose, but some of the merchants engaged in 
business there said that they had advices from the wrecked dis- 




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A PREVIOUS ERUPTION OF MOUNT SOUFRIERE 

ON THAT OCCASION ASHES WERE CARRIED A DISTANCE OF 
HUNDREDS OF MILES 




THE DESOLATION OF ST. PIERRE 

IN THE DISTANCE CAN BE SEEN THE MILITARY HOSPITAL. 




COPYRIGHT, l»02, BY J. MARTIN MILLED 



SCENE IN ST. PIERRE AFTER THE ERUPTION 
ON MAY 8th 




COPYRIGHT, 19SS, flV J. MARTIN MILI.6S 



SEARCHING FOR DEAD BODIES AMONG THE 
WRECKAGE AT ST. PIERRE 




A WOMAN OF MARTINIQUE IN THE HEAD-DRESS 
PECULIAR TO THE FRENCH WEST INDIES 




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COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY J. MARTIN MILLER 

SCENE OF THE TERRIBLE CALAMITY IN MARTINIQUE WHICH 
CAUSED THE DESTRUCTION OF ST. PIERRE 




COPYRIGHT, 1t>02, BY J. MARTIN MILLER 

THE CRATER OF MOUNT SOUFRIERE, ST. VINCENT, THE ERUPTION 
OF WHICH DEVASTATED MUCH OF THAT ISLAND 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 97 

trict which placed the death list at from one thousand to fifteen 
hundred. 

The city of Escuintla had a population of about ten thousand 
before the shock which cut ravines in the fields and shook many 
of the houses to wreck. 

According to stories in San Jose after the earthquake, the 
scenes in Escuintla and some of the other cities of that province, 
which suffered the most, were terrible. 

In San Jose, the capital of the central province of Guatemala, 
a thousand buildings were destroyed by the earthquake and three 
persons were killed. Travellers coming into the city reported 
that the railway had been much damaged and progress was diffi- 
cult, for the embankment had been badly cracked and the rails 
spread in many places. 

TRAGIC STORIES OF DEATH. 

The stories of death and destitution were coming into San 
Jose from all sides before the Grafton sailed from there, two days 
after the earthquake, the worst stories being received from Es- 
cuintla, which province suffered the most. 

The following comments by a well-known journal express 
the horror shared by the general public and their sympathy for 
the survivors of the terrible calamit}^ : 

" In the Western Hemisphere, during the historic period, no 
convulsion of nature comparable to the current West Indian 
catyclysm has occurred since the protracted series of volcanic and 
seismic disturbances which culminated, in 1812, in the destruction 
of Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, when 12,000 lives were lost. 
The entire Caribbean chain of islands is of volcanic origin, and on 
nearly every one of them are to be found the craters of volcanoes 
which have never ceased entirely to give indications of unrest. 
For fully half a century, however, there has been no violent 
commotion in this quarter of the globe, and the present disastrous 
disturbances are all the more appalling because of their sud- 
denness. 

" Indeed the awful suddennes of the overwhelming disaster in 

7-MAR 



98 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 



Martinique gives it pre-eminence among the great catastrophes of 
which we have record. It impresses upon us the transitoriness of 
man and the works of man. The tremendous convulsion of nature 
that produced the ruin with such marvelous swiftness vividly recalls 
Shakeseare's lines, ' The great globe itself, Yea, all which it 
inherits, shall yet dissolve.' The destruction of St. Pierre came 
without premonition, or with such brief warning as to make 




MOUNT LA SOUFRIERE, ST. VINCENT, IN ERUPTION. 

escape impossible for thousands of the inhabitants of St. Pierre 
and other towns and villages on the island. The earliest reports 
of great calamities are often exaggerated, but in the present 
instance it does not appear as yet that the first estimate of the 
loss of life was overdrawn. It is certain that nothing that appeals 
to human pity was lacking in the appalling crisis. The colossal 
tragedy will arouse the sympathy of the world and efface national 
boundaries, for nothing that afflicts humanity thus grievously 
and lamentably can be foreign to us. 



GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER. 99 

" Danger hovers over the cities that lie in the path of the 
earthquakes or in the shadow of the volcano. Those who live in 
these cities must face the perils of an environment which is not 
easily changed. Local attachment is so strong with most men 
that they will brave great perils of climate or of situation rather 
than make a new home in a safer location. The people of Pompeii 
were restoring the city and were living in it after the ravages of 
.in earthquake which visited it a few years before it was finally 
overwhelmed by the eruption of Vesuvius. It would be a cynical 
observation to say that the people who live in volcanic regions 
should seek safer habitations. 

" No comment can color in more sombre hues the graphic 
recital of the news dispatches portraying the scenes and incidents 
that accompanied the destruction of St. Pierre and that laid waste 
a large portion of the fair island of Martinique. The eruption of 
Soufriere, in St. Vincent, was also a serious event. We are told 
that in Martinique large areas of vegetation have been destroyed, 
that many are perishing from want of water and food, that famine 
exists or is impending. Towns and villages were completely 
engulfed in flames and ashes. The destruction, according to the 
prices received, was of amazing completeness over a large portion 
of the island. Great suffering must ensue. Unless despatches 
are at fault, hundreds are likely to perish before the timeliest 
succor can relieve them. 

"It niay be necessary to supply the survivors on the island 
with food for some time, and to assist them in rehabilitating their 
affairs to some extent. The French Government has taken steps 
to aid the islanders at once. 

" In the face of such an unusually urgent call we should give 
wings to our benevolence. The money contributed by the United 
f tates, we doubt not, will be judiciously expended, or returned if 
'there should be no demand for its expenditure. It should be 
immediately available. We have helped the starving people of 
Russia and other foreign countries ; the objectors to the Martin- 
ique appropriation do not respect the benevolent impulses of the 
American people." 



L#fC. 



CHAPTER III. 

Martinique City a Heap of Smoking Ruins.— Streets Filled 
with Charred Bodies. — Large Portions of the Island 
Engulfed with Lava.— St. Vincent also Devastated. 
Relief for the Sufferers. 

THE outbreak of volcanic activity in the West Indies was 
preceded by earthquakes and subterranean noises, particu- 
larly in Martinique and St. Vincent, for a period of two weeks or 
more. On Saturday, May 3rd, Mont Pelee, five miles from St. 
Pierre, began to throw out dense clouds of smoke, followed that 
night by flames which lighted the sky. This again was succeeded 
on the following day, May 4th, with a rain of ashes, which 
covered St. Pierre an inch thick and shut out the volcano from 
view. 

On Monday, May 5, a stream of lava shot down the mountain 
side with incredible rapidity, reaching the sea, according to one 
report, a distance of five miles, in three minutes. This swept 
away plantations, cattle and residents, and covered the Guerin 
sugar factory, one of the finest in the island. The sea receded 
and returned in a great wave, but the latter is said to have done 
no damage. The eruption from Mont Pelee continued, and on the 
fifth and sixth there was a panic among the inhabitants, many 
fleeing to the hills, and a few escaping by the sea. The climax 
was reached on the morning of the eighth, when "a whirlwind of 
fire," mud and steam swept over St. Pierre and the roadstead, 
destroying everything in its path. A loud explosion from the 
Soufriere volcano, in the northern part of the British island of St. 
Vincent, occurred on Monday, May 5th, and the water in the 
crater rose in a dense mass of steam. The disturbance increased 
until Wednesday, when the volcano began belching forth smoke 
and stones. This was followed later in the day by an overflow of 
lava, and a dense rain of ashes and dust, which covered the island 

and was carried many miles across the sea. On Friday there was 
100 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 101 

a fresh outbreak and ejections of fiery matter, more dust covered 
the island, in some places to a depth of two feet. Several districts 
were destroyed by the lava, and great loss of life resulted. 

A despatch from St. Lucia, one of the British West Indies, 
dated May nth, furnished the following particulars : 

"The St. Pierre fire is abating, and the searching parties find 
bodies in the attitude of life. There is an immense pile of corpses 
around the site of the Cathedral. Not a living soul has been 
discovered. There is not a building that has not been destroyed. 
Heart-rending scenes followed the announcements of the bodies 
recognized. Most of the city is still burning. Fort-de-France is 
full of refugees from all over the country. Food is required at 
once. The most urgent appeals have been sent to neighboring 
islands, but their stocks are limited. 

LOUD THUNDERS AND FIERCE FLAMES. 

"St. Vincent's volcano is still in full eruption. Terrific deto- 
nations are followed by columns of dense clouds, shooting miles 
high, with immense tongues of flame. Large stones are falling 
in the neighborhood of the crater, and pebbles, showers of cinders 
and ashes rain down thick. Kingston was reported safe by the 
steamer that arrived this morning, which also reports a large 
area north of the island as still in flames. It is impossible to 
estimate the amount of destruction or the loss of life. 

"Certainly a great area has been desolated by the lava. 
There has been a waterspout of the west coast of St. Lucia, about 
seven miles on the line between St. Vincent and St. Lucia. The 
volcanoes of St. Lucia and Solfaterra are boiling normally. The 
sky is now clear and the day full of bright sunshine." 

Another despatch from St Thomas, dated also May nth, 
affords additional details : 

" Famine now threatens to add its horrors to the situation in 
Martinique. From the country districts the inhabitants are 
flocking into Fort-de-France, and all are panic stricken. Food 
has already become scarce, and the supply depots are under mili- 
tary guard. Terrible suffering can be averted only by the early 



102 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

arrival of provision ships. St. Pierre had ever served as the 
storehouse of the entire island. Reserve supplies were kept 
there, and with the complete destruction of that city starvation 
became an immediate menace. 

"Fort-de-France has been little more than a great military post, 
so that it is now unable to give more than shelter to the refugees. 
Showers of hot mud and cinders have served to keep those in 
Fort-de-France in constant terror, though no actual damage is 
known to have been done there. Mont Pelee continues in active 
eruption, though with weakening force. 

"The steamer Korona, of the Quebec Line, a sister ship of 
the Roraima, has carried Mr. Scott, first officer of the Roraima, 
and eighteen others, saved from the same vessel, to Dominica. 
The captain reports that on Friday he attempted to force his way 
with the Korona into the harbor of St. Pierre, but was compelled 
to give up the attempt owing to the intense heat and smoke which 
hangs in a dense cloud over the island. He did get close enough 
to see that Mont Pelee was still active. Numerous half-burned 
bodies were observed, but none were picked up. 

ALL VESSELS DESTROYED. 

" Nothing new concerning the original disaster has yet been 
learned. It is known that eighteen vessels were in the harbor on 
the morning of May 8, when destruction fell upon St. Pierre- 
These included four American sailing vessels. All were destroyed, 
save the Roddam. They were simultaneously swept by the great 
cloud of flame and sank at anchor. The Roraima would have 
escaped had the explosion been delayed a few minutes. The ship's 
anchor was lifted and the engine was ready to start when the 
vessel was overwhelmed. The sea was transformed into a steaming 
cauldron, into which the sailors sprang, crazed by their sufferings. 
Twenty-one c^bin passengers lost their lives. 

" From St. Vincent have been received meagre reports of the 
disaster in that island. Warning of the activity of the 
Soufriere was had on May 7. All that day disaster seemed to fill 
the air. The skies were heavilv owrcast, deep thunder was 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 103 

almost incessant, while lightning of the most vivid nature never 
ceased to play. From the mountain came the mutterings that 
sent panic to the hearts of all dwellers on the island. The smoke 
rose in huge columns and volcanic dust filled the air. At 4 o'clock 
in the afternoon it was dark as midnight. Richmond Park and 
the estate of Waliboo were destroyed. Chateau Belair district was 
covered two feet deep with ashes. Earthquakes were continuous. 
Kingston seemed to be threatened and fear was upon all. 

" The Soufriere did not cease to roar during the night of 
May 7. Thirty deaths were reported on May 8. Volcanic dust 
continued falling, giving the entire island of St. Vincent a deep 
mantle. Reports from Barbadoes and Grenada are that on Thurs- 
day the heat was almost unbearable. The sky lowered, until at 
3 o'clock darkness was absolute. Distinct reports, like those of 
great cannons, were heard from the direction of St. Vincent. Ashes 
fell constantly, making it difficult to live in the open." 

HILLS COVERED WITH REFUGEES. 

A despatch received in Paris from Fort-de-France, Martinique, 
said : " All the hills surrounding Le Carbet and Le Pecheur (near 
St. Pierre) are covered with refugees, to the number of about 5000, 
who are being taken away gradually. In the meanwhile provisions 
are being conveyed to them. Of the thirty persons who were 
originally rescued by the French cruiser Suchet the majority 
were fearfully burned, and nine died while on their way to the 
hospital. The corpses which are heaped in the ruins of St. Pierre 
are not only completely naked, but are frightfully mutilated." 

The "Temps," referring to the destruction at St. Pierre, said : 
" We believe from the information received here from the Island 
of Martinique (meaning doubtless the official despatches) that th^ 
disaster surpasses all that imagination can conceive. The whoi 
northeastern portion of the island is laid waste. Three large 
communities, exclusive of St. Pierre, have been destroyed. The 
victims comprise two candidates for to-day's ballotage for members 
of the Chamber of Deputies." 

The Minister of Marine, M. de Lanessan, received a cable 



104 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

despatch from the commander of the French cruiser Suchet, dated 
Fort-de-France, Martinique, saying that he conducted a search at 
St. Pierre. The captain reported that the town was now a mere 
heap of smoking ruins, under which the victims of the catastrophe 
were buried. The Suchet was able to convey some of the inhab- 
itants of Le Pecheur to Fort-de-France, but could not reach the 
(northernmost part of the island on account of the dense rain of 
ashes. 

The captain of the Suchet further reported that the Mont 
Pelee volcano still had a threatening aspect. Subterranean rum- 
blings were still heard, flashes of flame frequently belched from 
the volcano and stones were thrown out with immense force. 

LOSS OF PROMINENT MEN. 

A despatch received at the Colonial Office in Paris from Fort- 
de-France said there was no doubt that Governor Mouttet and the 
commander of the troops at St. Pierre, Colonel Dain, were dead. 
The candidates for election to the French Chamber of Deputies 
who perished at St. Pierre were MM. Perciu and Le Clerc. Other 
despatches confirmed the reports that the American and British 
Consuls, with their families, perished. 

M. Bloch, Inspector of Finance, and M. Labarthe, the Col- 
onial Minister's Secretary, who were despatched by the Govern- 
ment to Martinique, sailed from Brest on board the French cruiser 
D' Assas, which carried money, provisions, and other stores for the 
relief of the Martinique sufferers. 

A French cable official who went to St. Pierre reported that 
the company's office had been burned to ashes, and that there was 
no trace of the staff. This official added that the cremation of the 
bodies of the victims had begun, and that the cable steamer 
Pouyer Quertier was proceeding to repair the northern cable. 

The waves of lava were still reported to be flowing northward. 
They extended even to Le Carbet. 

The Colonial Minister organized a relief distribution com- 
mittee, consisting of himself and M. Decrais, former Colonial 
Minister ; the Colonial members of the Chamber of Deputies, the 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 105 

Colonial Senators and a number of commercial men. President 
Loubet of France has contributed $4000 and the Cabinet donated 
$1200 to the fund being raised for the sufferers by the St. Pierre 
disaster. The British Ambassador, Sir Edmund J. Monson, called 
at the Elysee Palace and communicated to President Loubet, per- 
-onally, the sympathy of King Edward. 

A despatch received in London from the island of Dominica, 
British West Indies, said that a man who had just returned from 
the Boiling Lake District of that island went within a hundred 
yards of the lake, and found that the water had disappeared, and 
that from a vent ten feet in diameter in the centre was arising a 
column of steam to a height of thirty feet before spreading intc 
the atmosphere. That district otherwise was apparently unchanged, 
but the sulphur gases were very strong. 

ESCAPING IN BOATS. 

Four small boats loaded with refugees from Grand Riviere, 
Martinique, arrived at Dominica in a pitiable condition. They 
reported that six other boats left that village at the same time. It 
was not known what became of them. 

Advices received at St. Thomas, Danish West Indies, from 
the Island of Dominica, said that boats arriving there reported 
that many persons were drowned while crossing to Dominica from 
the island of Martinique, where some of the out parishes were inun- 
dated. The eruption of Mont Pelee continued. The lava was 
progressing northward. The whole northern region was now a 
rock waste, denuded of vegetation. 

Reports from the Island of St. Vincent said that up to the 
afternoon of Friday, May 9th, over two hundred deaths had occurred 
there owing to the volcanic outbreak in that island. Definite 
news, however, was lacking. Many estates were destroyed and 
steam and ashes were belched forth from seven in the morning 
until 9.30 at night. The eruption was now invisible at Kingston. 
Huge dust clouds were blown eastward. Great distress prevailed 
at St. Vincent, where there were many injured persons. It was 
believed that about five hundred persons had lost their lives at St. 



106 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUIN.;. 

Vincent. This number was greatly increased afterwards. The 
majority of the corpses were still nnbnried. 

The British Royal Mail steamer Solent went from Barbadoes 
to Martinique with supplies and doctors. From the Island of 
Trinidad, the British Royal Mail steamer Kennet went to Fort-de- 
France. The British second class cruiser Indefatigable was on 
her way from Trinidad to St. Vincent with stores for the relief oi 
the sufferers there. It was reported here that Fort-de-France 
(Martinique), was threatened. Great tension prevailed everywhere 
throughout the West Indies. 

WARNING OF THE ERUPTION. 

The crater of Mount Pelee had been wearing its "smoke 
cap " since the 3d of May, but there was nothing until Monday, 
the 5th, to indicate that there was the slightest danger. On that 
day a stream of boiling lava burst through the top of the crater 
and plunged into the valley of the River Blanche overwhelming 
the Guerin Sugar Works, and killing twenty-three work people 
and the son of the proprietor. A commission was appointed b}r 
the Governor to investigate the outbreak, and it returned a reas- 
suring report on Wednesday evening. But about 8 o'clock on 
Thursday morning a shower of fire rushed down on St. Pierre and 
the coast from Le Carbet, which had a population of 6,000, to Le 
Pecheur, which had a population of 4000, burning everything in 
its path. 

Throughout Thursday the heat in the vicinity of St. Pierre 
was so intense and the stream of flowing lava was so unremitting* 
that it was impossible to approach the town during the early part 
of the day. As evening approached, the French cruiser Suchet, 
after a heroic battle with the heat, suffocation and sulphur fumes, 
succeeded in making a dash toward the shore, nearing the land 
close enough to enable her to take off thirty survivors of the 
disaster, all of whom were horribly burned or mutilated. St. 
Pierre at that time was an absolute, smoking waste, concealing 
25,000 corpses, whose decomposition necessitated, in some cases, 
instantly completing their cremation, which was only partially 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 107 

accomplished by the lava. The inhabitants of Fort-de-France 
were panic stricken, the morning of the disaster, when the sky 
suddenly blackened and it was as dark as at midnight. The sea 
shrank back thirty yards, and hot rain began to fall, while gravel, 
the size of walnuts, poured down on the town. This lasted about 
fifteen minutes. 

The 450 survivors who were brought to Fort-de-France from 
St. Pierre by the French cable repair ship Pouyer Quertier came 
from the town of L,e Pecheur, where, surrounded on all sides b^ 
flowing lava, they were nearly roasted to death, and expecteu 
momentarily to be engulfed. 

RIVERS OF BURNING LAVA. 

The latest reports received showed that lava continued to pour 
down the slopes of the mountain, slowly engulfing the whole 
north side of the island, while fresh crevasses were continually 
opening. 

Secretary of the Navy Moody at Washington cabled the com- 
mander of the cruiser Cincinnati, at San Domingo City, to 
proceed to Martinique and give such aid as was possible. The 
Secretary of the Navy found, after consultation with Assistant 
Secretary Hill, that it would be safe to take the Cincinnati away 
from San Domingo. The reason for this belief was the cablegram 
received from the United States Consul, Maxwell, at San Domingc 
City : 

"The situation in San Domingo is improving. The pro- 
visional government has been announced at the seaports, and for 
the most part in the interior. All executive affairs are under the 
provisional government, and Vasquez is the provisional President." 

It was considered possible that the Potomac already had left 
San Juan for Martinique, but there was no doubt on this point. • 
because the Navy Department had not yet been able to secure 
response to an inquiry on this point sent by cable to tht 
commandant of the naval station at San Juan. As a further 
precautionary measure Secretary Moody sent a telegram to the 
commandant of the Brooklyn yard : 



108 ST, PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

"Order Dixie to prepare for sea as soon as practicable. 
Report when she can be made ready." 

The Dixie is a ship of considerable carrying capacity, and 
wonld be better fitted than any of the regular naval ships to 
hasten to Martinique with relief supplies, which could be obtained 
more readily at New York than at any of the West Indian islands. 
The Secretary was informed that the Dixie could be ready by 
Tuesday, the 14th. 

In anticipation of the passage by the House of the Senate 
bill making an appropriation for the relief of the sufferers from 
the eruption which devastated Martinique, the War Department 
took immediate action for the purchase and transportation of 
supplies to the distressed islanders. Brigadier-General Weston, 
Commissary General, was directed to collect stores at New York. 
They were to be immediately loaded on an army transport, or on 
the Dixie, a naval training ship, which Secretary Moody was 
informed would be ready to sail on Tuesday, the 14th. As food 
was the first need of the people, the Dixie was to be hurried to 
Martinique. The transport Sedgwick, which was at New York, 
was to convey clothes, lumber and such other supplies as the 
information by the State Department showed to be necessary. 

QUICKEST METHOD OF RELIEF. 

"Of course, the action," it was stated, "is contingent upon 
the assent of France, but that government will undoubtedly grate- 
fully accept the charity of the United States. M. Cambon, the 
French Ambassador, states that, as supplies from this country 
could reach the island more quickly than from France, undoubt- 
edly the people of the French Republic would appreciate any 
relief this country would afford. At the same time, Secretary 
Hay will recognize the sovereignty of France by notifying the 
Paris authorities through Ambassador Porter of the readiness of 
this Government to extend relief to Martinique. 

" France's acceptance being merely a matter of form, the work 
of shipping supplies will not for a moment be interrupted. 
Officers of the army and navy will be detailed to supervise the 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 109 

distribution of relief, and their instructions will be stringent to 
co-operate in every way with the French authorities. If consid- 
ered desirable, the supplies will be turned over to the acting Gov- 
ernor General of Martinique. There is not to be the slightest 
friction between the American and French authorities if it can be 
avoided under the instructions which will be issued by the War 
and Navy Departments. 

"It was suggested that the transportation of relief might be 
more expeditiously effected by using San Juan as the base. Gov- 
ernor Hunt could send such supplies from Porto Rico as could be 
gathered there, and then supplies purchased in this country could 

follow. 

COMMUNICATION INTERRUPTED. 

"No word reached the State Department regarding conditions 
in Martinique or in the island of St. Vincent. Cable communi- 
cation with St. Vincent, as'well as with Martinique, has been in- 
terrupted, according to information in possession of the State 
Department, and this probably accounts for the fact that the United 
States has not heard from Earnest A. Richards, its Consular 
agent at that point. Mr. Richards is not a citizen of the United 
States, but a British subject. He was born at St. Vincent and has 
always resided in the island. He was appointed Consular agent 
upon the recommendation of the iVmerican Consul in the Barbadoes. 

"In view of the distress which exists in St. Vincent, an effort 
may be made by the State Department to have the bill for the 
relief of Martinique so amended that it will enable the dispatch 
of supplies to the British island as well. This will be done in 
order to prevent any legal technicalities being raised by account- 
ing officers. The Administration is hopeful, in view of the extent 
of the disaster, and the fact that France and Great Britain cannot 
promptly send relief from Europe, that the House will act at once 
upon the relief bill. As soon as passed it will be conveyed to the 
White House, where it will receive the immediate approval of the 
President. If it is determined to send supplies to St. Vincent, the 
Dixie or some other vessel will be ordered to proceed to that 
island." 



HO ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

That the Island of St. Vincent had fallen a victim to the 
direful visitation that desolated Martinique was evident from the 
following despatch sent from Kingston by way of St. Lucia : 

After numerous earthquakes during the preceding fortnight, 
accompanied by subterranean noises in the direction of the Sou- 
friere volcano, in the northwestern part of the island, a loud 
explosion from the crater occurred, and the water in the crater 
lake ascended in a stupendous cloud of steam and exploded heavily. 

The noises grew louder continnally until the old crater, three 

miles in circumference, and the new crater formed by the last 

eruption, belched smoke and stones, forcing the residents of 

Wallibou and Richmond Valley beneath the volcano to flee to 

Chateau Belair for refuge. The thunderous noises, which were 

continually increasing, were heard in neigboring islands 200 miles 

away. 

COLUMNS OF STEAMY VAPOR. 

At midday the craters ejected enormous columns of steamy 

vapor, rising majestically eight miles high and expanding into 

wonderful shapes, resembling enormous cauliflowers, gigantic 

/heels and beautiful flower forms, all streaked up and down and 

crosswise with vivid flashes of lightning, awing the beholder and 

impressing the mind with fear. The mountain labored to rid 

itself of a mass of molten lava which later flowed over in six 

streams down the side of the volcano, and the greater noises fol- 

owing united in one continuous roar all evening and through the 

night, accompanied with black rain, falling dust and favilla scoria, 

ittended with midnight darkness, creating a feeling of fear and 

anxious suspense. 

The next morning there was a fresh eruption and ejections 
of fiery matter, more dust covering the island, in some places two 
feet deep. The crater was still active as this despatch was sent, 
and great loss of life was believed to have occurred. 

The lava destroyed several districts, with their live stock. 
People fled, the streams were dried up, and in many places a food 
and water famine was threatened. The Government was feeding 
numbers of sufferers from the outbreak. 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. Ill 

Great physical changes have taken place in the neighborhood 
of the Sonfriere. Several districts had not yet been heard from 
and the scene of the eruption was unapproachable. Every hour 
brought sadder news. The nurses and doctors were overworked 

As a result of the disaster on this island, all business was 
suspended for three days. The public mind was still unsettled, 
fearing further disaster. Among the deaths were whole families, 
whose corpses were, in several places, still lying unburied. The 
dead were to be interred in trenches. 

A special correspondent at Castries, St. Lucia, telegraphed 
the following on May nth : 

The first relief parties have ventured into the streets of 
St. Pierre. It was not expected that survivors would be found, 
and so there has been no disappointment of the mournful reports 
that have been returned. All of the earlier stories of the disaster 
worked by Mont Pelee have been verified. The destruction of the 
city is complete. Not a building remains standing. The desola- 
tion baffles description. 

HEAPS OF DEAD. 

Piles of dead in the vicinity of the site of the Cathedral tell 
a story of the attempt to find sanctuary and refuge in the great 
structure of worship. Men and women, panic stricken at the 
cataclysm, turned in the moment of their despair to the Cathedral 
and were apparently overcome before they could reach its doors. 

So far the search has been hindered by the fires that are still 
raging, and the investigators are in great danger. Mont Pelee 
is active but the eruption is subsiding. In St. Pierre every form 
of life has apparently been destroyed. It will, be impossible to 
penetrate to the centre of the ruins for several days. From the 
position of the bodies the opinion is formed that many were over- 
come almost before they realized the extent of the peril. Many 
of the bodies are in life-like positions, as though death had come 
with a breath, as indeed may have been the case. 

Many of the bodies are so burned as to make identification 
impossible, but in other cases the opposite is the case. Some 



112 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

^ave been identified by the searching parties, which are all under 
military control and are conducted under orders. Scenes in St. 
Pierre are heartrending. Steps have been taken to prevent dis- 
ease from resulting from the disaster. Burial parties are working 
night and day, but it is impossible that the dead can be cared for 
as their friends would wish. 

Military rule is established in the town to prevent vandals 
from working. Such property as has not been destroyed will be 
protected. One of the great misfortunes arises from the fact that 
the storehouses of provisions have been swept out of existence. 
Martinique must depend upon the charity of the world to prevent 
a food famine. Already food is exhausted at Fort-de-France, 
which has been overrun by refugees from the country. 

Appeals have been sent to the neighboring islands for assist- 
ance ; meantime the few provision stores are under close guard 
by the soldiers. In the country there is no food, and it is believed 
that thousands are starving. As soon as food can be obtained 
relief parties will be sent out from Fort-de-France. 

OPINION OF AN EXPERT. 

Looking on the St. Pierre disaster as a proof of theories which 
geologists have long held regarding the chain of islands of which 
Martinique is a link, Dr. J. Paul Goode, editor of the "Journal of 
Geography," and an instructor in the University of Pennsylvania, 
said : 

"It is incomprehensible to me that people will persist for 
generations in taking their lives in their hands by making homes 
on such an island as Martinique. For decades geologists have 
held that there is a line of weakness in the earth's crust extend- 
ing from near Trinidad, and the Highlands of Guiana, around in 
quarter circle to Porto Rico, then through Cuba, and finally con- 
necting with the volcanoes in Mexico, which have been active 
within a month past. In Cuba, the line branches off, also, up 
through Florida, and runs up towards Lake Michigan, through 
the Eastern Mississippi Valley. It has been shown conclusively 
that all this section is rising, though that portion within the 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 113 

United States is so slow in its movement as to be imperceptible, 
save when we consider long ages of time. 

" The Lesser Antilles, of which Martinique is one, are simply 
the peaks of volcanoes, about half of which are submerged. They 
differ from the volcano of the ^Etna or Kilauea type, in that their 
discharge consists chiefly of hot cinders. There is usually little 
or no lava. This means, too, that no warning will be given of an 
eruption. I cannot understand why people will want to live in 
such a place. 

" Professor Milne's instruments and records on the Isle of 
Wight have recorded no general disturbance of the region, so it 
is hardly probable that outbreaks will be general in the region I 
have described. The eruption shows, however, the weakness of 
the crust at this point. As with a boiler, the explosion occurred 
along the line of least resistance, and the crater of Mont Pelee 
offered the outlet. 

u The scientists' imagination would like to foretell for the 
future a solid mass of land from Trinidad to Cuba, but we cannot 
tell when a cessation will come of those forces now tending to 
raise this part of the bottom of the sea." 

TWO LINES OF CABLES. 

In New York the French Cable Company announced at noon 
on May 12th, that communication was open with Fort-de-France 
over two lines, one by the way of Teneriffe and Noronha, the 
other from the Brazilian coast, through Madeira. Until the above 
date the French government monopolized both these lines nearly 
all of the time, but ordinary business was transmitted over both of 
them soon afterward. 

E. A. Outerbridge, of the Quebec Steamship Company, which 
owned the ill-fated Roraima, said that no additional cablegrams 
had come through from the company's agents, and he believed 
that nothing more was known at Dominica of the fate of the com- 
pany's friends and consignees in St. Pierre. T. W. and P. Arm- 
strong, of No. 106 Wall street, received no answers to their 
urgent requests to agents in Guadeloupe for news. 

8-MAR 



114 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

Inquiry among local fire insurance agents indicated that 
American companies sustained no losses. A. M. Thorburn, sec- 
retary and assistant manager of the American branch of the Sun 
Insurance Company, of London, which carried some of the Mar- 
tinique risks, said that the business at St. Pierre was placed direct 
from the British office. He did not think any American company 
[id business there. Most of the property, particularly that owned 
by foreigners and merchants doing a foreign business, is insured 
in the Bno-lish and Continental companies, and undoubtedly they 
would lose heavily. 

Mr. Thorburn said that he had not seen the Martinique 
policies, but that he thought they were modelled after the American 
policies written for volcanic countries. They make the insurer? 
liable for damage from volcanic eruptions, unless otherwise pro- 
vided. Tornadoes, lightning, insurrections and civil disorders 
are causes of loss which are usually not insured against, but the 
companies are generally liable in case of earthquakes and volcanic 

eruptions. 

LOSSES AT ST. PIERRE. 

Thomas A. Buckner, vice-president of the New York Life 
Insurance Company, said: " We had many policies in effect in 
St. Pierre, but we cannot estimate our loss until we get a list of 
the dead. Oar business was mostly with foreigners on the island. 
We had no office there, but obtained business in various ways. 
Perhaps we shall escape with a loss of $100,000, but that is only 
mere guesswork now." 

William A. Alexander, secretary of the Equitable Life In- 
surance Company, said : " Without my office records I cannot 
tell what our St. Pierre losses will be, but I am inclined to think 
they are not large. We had no agency there, though we may 
have had agents." 

Foulke & Co., of No. 25 Beaver street, had about given up 
the barkentine L. W. Norton. Nothing had yet been heard from 
her. None of the officers or crew lived in New York, Captain 
Alexander Parks lived at Port George, N. .S, where he left a 
wife, four sons and a daughter. He sailed from New York, April 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 115 

12, and arrived at St. Pierre April 30. The vessel was worth 

$15,000 and her cargo from $30,000 to $50,000. 

The various accounts of the volcanic outbreak in the West 

Indies which reached London, left only a shadow of hope that the 

later details would greatly minimize the extent of the catastrophe, 

and the fear was beginning to seize the British papers that even 

worse news would come. 

For instance, the "Standard," in an editorial, said : 

" It is only too clear that the area affected is larger than known 

at first. If Dominica and St. Lucia have not suffered greatly 

there is reason to fear that their turn may come, nor is it by any 

means certain that corresponding convulsions have not occurred 

or may not soon follow on the mainland of Central and South 

America. In the presence of such forces man is helpless, 

and we can only prepare to relieve the survivors as speedily 

as possible. The United States has set us an honorable 

example." 

PLANS FOR A MASS MEETING. 

A New York journal contained the following: 

" Plans are now being matured for a meeting in this city of 
all the members 01 ..he colony formed by former residents of Mar- 
tinique. It is probable that the meeting will be held Tuesday 
evening, though final arrangements are yet to be made. Henry 
C. de Medenil, superintendent of West Indian trade for Flint, 
Eddy & Co., has been requested by other members of the colony 
to issue the call for the meeting, and to take preliminary charge. 
It is believed that men of Martinique will come to New York from 
all cities within a radius of 500 miles. 

" It is intended to take such steps as may be possible looking 
to relief of the survivors of the disaster caused by the explosion of 
Mt. Pelee, and representatives will probably be sent to Martinique 
for the purpose of gathering exact information regarding the fate 
of relatives of those living in the United States. 

"Unspeakable anguish has resulted from the inability to 
obtain news from St. Pierre. Without hope that the number of 
victims has been overestimated, there is ever the feeling that the 



116 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

apparently impossible lias happened. The suspense has resulted 
in the prostration of several women whose relatives are believed 
to have fallen under the rain of fire." 

Victor de Messimy, Cashier of the United Agency Company, 
of this city, and his cousin, Henry de Massias, who is connected 
with the American Surety Company, were active in arranging for 
the meeting-. Thev were unceasing in their efforts to obtain from 
the South news of their friends, but were unsuccessful. They 
are convinced that it was impossible for any to have escaped from 
St. Pierre to Morne Rouge. Neither do they understand how St. 
Pierre could be totally destroyed while Morne Rouge escaped. 
Made pessimistic by their knowledge of the lay of the land about 
St. Pierre, they believe that Morne Rouge was overcome by the 
fate that befell the greater city lying below. 

NO HOPE REMAINING. 

" All our relatives and friends are or were in St. Pierre," said 
Mr. de Messimy, " and it is hard to rob ourselves of the only 
hope that is left to us. Still it is useless to take to ourselves 
what reason teaches is a delusion. If St. Pierre has been destroyed, 
as has been described by the despatches, then there remains 
nothing to hope." 

" Morne Rouge must have been overcome by the same blast 
of flame that shrivelled the main city, lying five miles further 
away from Mont Pelee. Morne Rogue lies almost under the 
crater of Pelee, and if the head of the volcano has been blown off 
destruction must have rained upon the entire country within a 
radius of fifteen miles. 

"Between Morne Rouge and St. Pierre there is a break in 
the earth's surface, and a valley as well as a rise of ground, but 
the fire which swept through the air would have first reached the 
smaller village before passing down to the harbor. 

" It has been impossible for us in New York to fully realize 
the terrible calamity that has befallen us at home. My cousin 
and I were in Martinique last year. In the islands I left my 
sisters and many other near relatives. 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 117 

" Henri left his parents. His father was a prominent archi- 
tect and a member of the City Council of St. Pierre. Henri has 
two brothers now in Paris attending school. They will be left 
for the time being without funds, but, of course, as soon as some 
idea of the true conditions in Martinique is obtained their affairs 
can be attended to. 

" At first I guess we were all too stunned to act, but now we 
know the full extent of our loss, and we will do what we can to 
lessen the effects of the blow. A meeting will be held here in a 
few days. The call will be issued by Mr. Medenil, who is 
regarded as the leader of the colouy here. 

' There are about twenty-five families now in New York who 

came here from Martinique. All are fairly well to do. Steps will 

be taken to give such aid to the sufferers in Martinique as we 

can. We will, too, thank the people of the United States, as well 

as the Government, for the prompt steps taken to render aid and 

for the expressions of sympathy which seem to have come from 

all. 

NO MENTION OF DANGER. 

"I want to correct the impression that prevails here that 
warning was given by Mont Pelee of the destruction the volcano 
was about to work upon St. Pierre. We had letters from our 
friends, now all dead, which were written as late as April 25. In 
none of the letters is mention made of the threatened activity of 
Pelee. The volcano has always been regarded as extinct and 
harmless. I am sure that our friends would have recognized 
their danger had Pelee given such warning as I have seen asserted 
in some of the papers." 

Yet all accounts agree that clouds of smoke from Mont 
Pelee filled the air five days before the catastrophe. 

Sir Robert Stawell Ball, LL. D., F, R. S., in "The Earth's 
Beginning," gives some very interesting facts about volcanic 
disturbances. 

"The internal heat of the earth," he says, " derived from the 
primaeval nebula, is in no way more strikingly illustrated than by 
the phenomena of volcanoes. We have no reason to believe that 



118 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

the earth is fluid in its interior. The evidence has proved that, 
under the extraordinary pressure which prevails in the earth, the 
materials in the central portions of our globe behave with the 
characteristics of solids rather than of liquids. But though this 
applies to the deep seated regions, it need not universally apply 
at the surface or within a moderate depth from the surface. When 
the circumstances are such that the pressure is relaxed, then the 
heat is permitted to exercise its property of transforming the 
solids into liquids. Masses of matter near the earth's crust are 
thus, in certain circumstances, and in certain localities, trans- 
formed into the fluid or viscid form. In that state they may issue 
from a volcano and flow in sluggish currents as lava. 

CAUSE OF VOLCANIC ACTION. 

"There has been much difference of opinion as to the imme- 
diate cause of volcanic action, but there can be little doubt that 
the energy which is manifested in a volcanic eruption has been 
originally derived in some way from the contraction of primaeval 
nebula." 

The author then devotes much space to Krakatoa, in the 
Straits of Sunda, a volcanic island almost unknown until 1883, 
when it suddenly sprang into notice. 

" Insignificant though it had hitherto seemed," says the 
author, "the little island was soon to compel by its tones of 
thunder the whole world to pay it instant attention. It was to 
become the scene of a volcanic outbreak so appalling that it is 
destined to be remembered throughout the ages." 

There were notable warnings in the early spring, but the people 
of Batavia, far from being terrified, chartered a steamer and went 
forth for a pleasant picnic to the island. They beheld a vast column 
of steam at the summit, which poured forth with terrific noise 
from a profound opening about thirty yards in width. 

" As the summer of this dread year advanced," Sir Robert 
writes, " the vigor of Krakatoa steadily increased, the noise became 
more and more vehement ; these were presently audible on shores 
ten miles distant, and then twenty miles distant, and still those 



ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 119 

noises waxed louder and louder, until the great thunders of the 
volcano, now so rapidly developing, astonished the inhabitants that 
dwelt over an area at least as large as Great Britain. With each 
successive convulsion a quantity of fine dust was projected aloft 
into the clouds. The wind could not carry this dust away as rap- 
idly as it was hurled upward by Krakatoa, and accordingly the 
atmosphere became heavily charged with suspended particles. A 
pall of darkness thus hung over the adjoining seas and islands. 
Such was the thickness and the density of these atmospheric 
volumes of Krakatoa dust that, for one hundred miles around, 
the darkness of midnight prevailed at midday. Many thousands 
of the unfortunate inhabitants of the adjacent shores of Sumatra 
and Java were destined never to behold the sun again. They were 
presently swept away to destruction in an invasion of the shore by 
the tremendous waves with which the seas surrounding Krakatoa 

were agitated." 

A TERRIFIC CONVULSION. 

The volcano continued in eruption during July and August, 
and on the twenty-seventh of the latter month the supreme dis- 
play occurred. After two or three preliminary explosions, there 
was a frightful convulsion which tore away a large part of the 
island of Krakatoa, and scattered it to the winds. In that final 
effort all records of previous explosions on this earth were com- 
pletely broken. The noise was plainly heard at Batavia, ioo 
miles away, where houses trembled and windows rattled as if 
heavy artillery were being discharged. Indeed, the thunders of 
the great volcano attracted the attention of the coast guard at the 
island of Rodrigues, 3000 miles to the west. 

"Let us say, for example," the author continues, "that an 
explosion occurred at Pike's Peak as resonant as that from Krak- 
atoa. It would certainly startle not a little the inhabitants of 
Colorado far and wide. The ears of dwellers in the neighboring 
States would receive a considerable shock. The sonorous waves 
would roll over to the Atlantic coast ; they would be heard on the 
shores of the Pacific. Florida would not be too far to the south, 
nor Alaska too remote to the north." 



120 ST. PIERRE A HEAP OF SMOKING RUINS. 

Evidence of the eruption of Krakatoa were seen in the country 
and elsewhere, the air waves spreading from the volcano to the 
antipodes. It also taught lessons on the constitution of our 
atmosphere. Before the occurrence no one had the slightest 
suspicion that far up above, twenty miles over our heads, a mighty 
tempest is incessantly hurrying with a speed much greater than 
"hat of the awful hurricane which once devastated so large a part 
jf Calcutta and slew so many of its inhabitants. 

All that Krakatoa did was simply to provide the charges of 
dust by which, for one brief period, this wind was made visible. 
In the autumn of 1883 the newspapers were full of accounts of 
strange appearances in the heavens. These came from Ceylon, 
the West Indies and other tropical places. All had the same tale 
to tell. All these phenomena were due to Krakatoa. It was in 
the late autumn of 1883 that the marvellous series of celestial 
phenomena connected with the great eruption began to be dis- 
played in Great Britain. Then it was that the glory of the 
ordinary sunsets was enhanced by a splendor which has dwelt in 
the memory of all those who were permitted to see it. The dust 
from Krakatoa produced this. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Awful Scene in St. Pierre — Whole Mountain Appeared to 
Blow Up. — Ships Swallowed by an Enormous Wave. — 
Harrowing Tales by Eye-Witnesses of the Burned 
City. 

"RETAILED descriptions of the terrible scene at St. Pierre 
-L-' reached Fort-de-France on Monday, May 12th, when the 
Government relief expedition that was the first to penetrate the 
ruins of the city sent back messengers asking for more men and 
supplies. The expedition, which left Fort-de-France on the Gov- 
ernment steamer Rubis, made a landing near St. Pierre. After a 
terrible experience in crossing fields of hot ashes knee deep, the 
more daring ones in the party succeeded in reaching what had 
been the streets of the city. 

In the party were detachments of French infantry and gend- 
armes and several priests. The ievi survivors rescued were at L-e 
Carbet and Case Pilot, suburban villages, to which they had fled. 
More than a thousand of them had died of starvation and ex- 
posure since the destruction of St. Pierre. The heat from th* 
smoking, lava-covered ruins at St. Pierre was suffocating, and the 
stench from the charred bodies which filled the streets was awful. 
Only a few walls of buildings were standing. The hospital clock 
was found in tact, with its hands stopped at 7.50 A. M., the exact 
hour of the volcano's eruption. The offices of the cable company 
had disappeared. On all sides were found portions of bodies. 
They were gathered up by the soldiers and gendarmes and burned 
in the public squares. Not a drop of water was procurable ashore. 

The darkness caused by the clouds of volcanic dust shroudc* 
the town. Continuous subterranean rumblings added to the 
horror of the scene. The fort and central quarters of the towr 
were razed. The ruins were buried in hot cinders. 

The iron grill-work gate of the Government office was the 
only portion of that once magnificent building standing. Streets 

121 



122 AWFUL SCENE IN SI. PIERRE. 

could not be traced. Huge heaps of smoking ashes were to be 
seen on all sides. At the landing place some burned and ruined 
walls indicated the spot where the Custom House formerly stood. 
Traces of the larger shops could be seen. Hundreds of bodies 
were found lying in all attitudes, showing that the victims had 
met death as if by a lightning stroke. Every vestige of clothing * 
had been burned away from them. Grim piles of bodies were 
stacked everywhere, showing that death had stricken them while 
the crowds were vainly seeking escape from the fiery deluge. 

On one spot a group of nine children were found. They were 
locked in one another's arms. The vaults of the Bank of Marti- 
nique, at the head of what had been the Rue de l'Hopital, were 
found intact. They contained two million francs, or $400,000, in 
specie and other securities, which was sent there for safekeeping. 
The vaults of the Government treasury were searched in the hope 
that a large amount of money and other valuables deposited by 
the principal merchants of the city might be saved. 

THE DEVASTATION COMPLETE. 

Many of the parties were overcome by the terrible heat and 
stench of burned bodies, and the surgeons accompanying them 
were kept busy. It was reported that there is left no trace what- 
ever of the United States Consulate, which was on the Rue de 
Torraile. The sea for miles around was covered with the wreck- 
age of vessels, and ashore only a few trees, all bent seaward by 
the force of the volcanic shower, were left standing. 

The Ministry of Marine, at Paris, received a cable from the 
commander of the warship Suchet, dated Fort-de-France, which 
said he explored St. Pierre with a squad of marines. The town 
was a mass of smoking ruins, under which the victims were 
buried. The commander reported that it was impossible to 
advance to the north of the island owing to the rain of ashes, 
which was most intense. The volcano still presented a menacing 
appearance, and rumblings, accompanied by flashes and the pro- 
jection of ashes and stones occurred. 

The French Cable Company received on May 12th the 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 123 

following important despatch from its manager at Fort-de-France, 
Martinique : 

" I have sent an agent to St. Pierre. He Was able to find the 
company's offices, buried under a pile of rubbish, but could find 
no trace of the general manager, M. Jallabert, or the personnel of 
the office, consisting of five men. The town is strewn with corpses, 
the cremation of which has begun. The cable ship Pouyei 
Quertier is now proceeding to repair the cable from Martinique to 
Hayti and New York." 

M. L'Heurre, Secretary of Martinique, cabled the Minister o f 
Colonies that nothing was left of the villages on the north coast 
and the interior of that part of the island. The despatch also 
stated that a fresh flow of lava had occurred from the northern 
crater, covering the land with the aspect of a vast rock. The 
list of dead was added to by this eruption. 

UNPARALLELED HORRORS. 

The news which reached Fort-de-France of the relief work at 
St. Pierre told of the horrors of the scene there. Never since the 
world began, it is stated, have human eyes witnessed such a grue- 
some scene. Hundreds of flaring funeral pyres, on which the 
bodies of dead were thrown, sent up their flames, to mock the stiL 
flaring volcano's work of death. It was estimated that twenty 
thousand bodies of the dead had already been burned. 

French soldiers form the cremation parties. They said the 
work on which they were engaged was the most terrible they had 
ever known. The bodies, many of which were already charred 
and scarred by lava burns, were soaked with coal tar and petroleum 
to make them burn the faster. The funeral pyres were enormous 
heaps of wood and branches of trees. Upon these the bodies were 
thrown, and what was left of them was consumed. This was a 
precautionary measure to prevent the outbreak of disease and 
contagion. 

The thrilling story related by Captain Freeman, of the 
British steamship Roddam, one of the few survivors, will be read 
with painful interest. 



124 AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

" The steamer Roddam, of which I am captain, left St. Lucia 
at midnight of May 7th, and was off St. Pierre, Martinique, at 
6 o'clock on the morning of the Sth. I noticed that the volcano, 
Mont Pelee, was smoking, and crept slowly in toward the bay, 
finding there among others the steamer Roraima, the telegraph 
repairing steamer Grappler and four sailing vessels. I went 
to anchorage between 7 and 8, and had hardly moored when the 
side of the volcano opened out with a terrible explosion. 

"A wall of fire swept over the town and the bay. The Red- 
dam was struck broadside by the burning mass. The shock to 
the ship was terrible, nearly capsizing her. Hearing the awful 
report of the explosion and seeing the great wall of flames 
approaching the steamer, those on deck sought shelter wherever it 
was possible, jumping into the cabin, the forecastle, and even into 

the hold. 

BURNING EMBERS EVERYWHERE. 

" I was in the chart room, but the burning embers were borne 
by so swift a movement of the air that they were swept in through 
the door and port holes, suffocating and scorching me badly. I 
was terribly burned by these embers about the face and hands, 
but managed to reach the deck. As soon as it was possible, when 
there, I mustered the few survivors who seemed able to move, 
ordered them to slip the anchor, leaped for the bridge and rang 
the engineer for full speed astern. The second and third engineers 
and a fireman were on watch below, and so escaped injury. They 
did their part in the attempt to escape, but the men on deck could 
not work the steering gear because it was jammed by the debris 
{';om the volcano. 

" We accordingly went ahead and astern until the gear was 
free, but in this running backward and forward it was two hours 
after the first shock before we were clear of the bay. One of the 
most terrifying conditions was that the atmosphere being charged 
with ashes it was totally dark. The sun was completely obscured 
and the air was only illuminated from the flames of the volcano 
and those of the burning town and shipping. It seems small to 
jay that the scene was terrifying in the extreme. 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 125 

"As we backed out we passed close to the Roraima, which 
was one mass of flames. The steam was rushing from the engine 
room, and the screams of those on board were terrible to hear. 
The cries for help were all in vain, for we could do nothing but 
save my own ship. When I last saw the Roraima she was settling 
down by the stern. That was about 10 o'clock in the morning. 

" When the Roddam was safely out of the harbor of St. 
Pierre and its desolation and horrors, I made for St. Lucia. Arriv- 
ing here, and when the ship was safe, I mustered the survivors as 
well as I was able and searched for the dead and injured. Some I 
found in the saloon, where they had vainly sought for safety, but 
cabins were full of burning embers that had been blown in through 
the port holes. Through these the fire swept as through funnels 
and burned the victims where they lay or stood, leaving a circular 
imprint of scorched and burned flesh. I brought ten on deck who 
were thus burned. Two of them were dead, the others survived, 
although in a dreadful state of torture from their burns. Their 
screams of agony were heartrending. 

TONS OF POWDERED LAVA. 

" Out of a total of twenty-three on board the Roddam, which 
includes the captain and the crew, ten are dead and several are in 
the hospital. My first and second mates, my chief engineer and 
my supercargo, Campbell by name, were killed. The ship was 
covered from stem to stern with tons of powdered lava which 
retained its heat for hours after it had fallen. In many 
cases it was practically incandescent, and to move about the deck 
in this burning mass was not only difficult but absolutely perilous. 

" I am only now able to begin thoroughly to clear and search 
the ship for any damage done by this volcanic rain, and to see if 
there are any corpses in out-of-the-way places. For instance, this 
morning, I found one body in the peak of the forecastle. The 
body was horribly burned and the sailor had evidently crept in 
there in his agony to die. On the arrival of the Roddam at St. 
Lucia the ship presented an appalling appearance. Dead and cal- 
cined bodies lay about the deck, which was also crowded with 



12U AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

injured, helpless and suffering people. Prompt assistance was 
rendered to the injured by the authorities here, and my poor, tor- 
Lured men were taken to the hospital. 

" The dead were buried, and I had omitted to mention that 
out of twenty-nine black laborers that I brought from Grenada to 
help in stevedoring, six only survived. Most of the others threw 
themselves overboard to escape a dreadful fate, but they met a 
worse one for it is the actual fact that the water around the ship 
was literally at boiling heat. The escape of my vessel was mirac- 
ulous. The woodwork of the cabins and bridge and everything 
inflammable on deck were constantly igniting, and it was with 
great difficulty that we few survivors managed to keep the flames 
down. The ropes, awnings and tarpaulins were completely 

burned up. 

RAPID RUSH OF FLAMES. 

" I witnessed the entire destruction of St. Pierre. The flames 
enveloped the town in every quarter with such rapidity that it was 
impossible that any person could be saved. As I have said the 
day was turned suddenly to night, but I could distinguish by the 
light of the burning town people distractedly running about on 
the beach. The burning buildings stood out from the surrounding 
darkness like black shadows. All this time the mountain was 
roaring and shaking, and in the intervals between these terrifiying 
sounds I could hear the cries of despair and agony from the 
thousands who were perishing. 

"These cries added to the terror of the scene, but it is 
impossible to describe its horror or the dreadful sensations it pro- 
duced. It was like witnessing the end of the world. Let me add 
that after the first shock was over, the survivors of the crew ren- 

lered willing help to navigate the ship to this port. Mr. Plissoneau, 
jiir agent at Martinique, happening to be on board was saved, 

tnd I really believe that he is the only survivor of St. Pierre. As 
J, is he is seriously burned on the hands and face." 

The foregoing graphic account was confirmed by Hllery S. 
Scott, first officer of the Roraima : 

"It was about daylight on the morning of May 6th when we 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 127 

sighted the island. We had run through a thunderstorm ahead 
for St. Pierre, and at 6 o'clock were at our anchorage off the Place 
Bertin Landing. When the agent, with lighters and stevedores, 
came alongside they told us that Pelee had been acting ugly ever 
since Saturday, and that there had been quite a heavy fall of hot 
sand or dust over St. Pierre itself. However, the volcano seemed 
to have quieted down, and we got the stevedores to work smartly. 

"There were about eighteen other steamers and coasting 
craft anchored as we were in the open harbor, one of them being 
the Tamaya, a bark from the French port Nantes, her captain 
being called Moritz or Maurice. Then there were four other large 
sailing vessels. The British steamer Roddam put into the berth 
next to ours and let drop her anchor. 

" Then something happened. There was a shaking in the 
air, so that I felt as though some one had jostled me. I was looking 
at Pelee, and every soul on board looked, too. I can't describe 
what I saw, of course, but my first thought was that the end of 
the world would look just like that. It was just as though the 
mountain had been blown up by all the dynamite in the world. 

ROARING DOWN FROM THE SKY. 

" First of all a great pillar of flame rushed straight up in the 
air, then it opened out wider than the mountain itself and came 
roaring down out of the sky upon us. Some of us, with Morley 
(second officer) rushed to the forecastle head to heave the anchor. 
I saw the captain shouting orders, and I saw McTear, the engi- 
neer, drop below. As we reached the ship's head the fiery cloud 
was upon us. Red-hot stones, scalding mud and real splashes of 
flame dropped and clattered all over the ship. 

" There was another roar, and with it all the water in the 
harbor seemed to gather up and rush among the shipping. Bvery 
craft heeled over to the great tidal wave and seemed to careen and 
sink. When the wave struck us it flooded us fore and aft, sweep- 
ing away the masts, funnel, all the boats save one and all the 
raffle of the deck. There was a ventilator at hand, and to save 
myself I seized it and was nearly killed thereby, being driven into 



128 AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

it by the force of the wave. A couple of stevedores pulled me 
out of the ventilator and dragged me into the steerage. There 
I remained, half dead, for quite a time, during which the ship 
rolled and the fire and rocks battered the decks. 

" Now and then a charred and shrieking sailor rolled down 
the hatchway and died as he came, so that quite a pile of corpses 
lay over me. Some one pulled me from under these and I clam- 
bered to the deck, and began turning a hand toward saving the 
injured who were lying all about, though even then small, red- 
hot stones and mud were falling. 

' { As I was about this work Captain Muggah came along. I 
knew him by his clothes, though these were smoldering, but his 
face was scorched beyond recognition. 

" ' Lower the boat,' he said. 

BOAT BURNED FULL OF HOLES. 

" I could not obey his orders, however, for the boat that was 
left by the tidal wave was burned full 01 holes by the flaming 
rain. I saw no more of the captain after that, but I was told by a 
stevedore of St. Kitts that he jumped overboard and got on a raft 
that had been hurriedly put together and that he died there. All 
this time the sea was rolling like the heaviest kind of ground 
swell, Pelee was roaring, and the air was full of strange shocks. 

" When I looked at St. Pierre the sight was terrifying. The 
town was gone and in its place was a long stretch of gray, smok- 
ing, flaming dust. All about us the ships were sunk or aflame 
and between us and them and the shore dead bodies floated singly 
and in groups. Some hours after, I didn't know how long it was 
then, but I've since been told it was at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the 
French cruiser Suchet steamed in and rescued seventeen of us 
more dead than alive. We were carried to Fort-de-France and put 
in the hospital." 

Further particulars of the dreadful catastrophe came on May 
1 2th from Fort-de-France : 

" A landing has at last been made in the city of St. Pierre, 
and the work of exploring the ruins of the annihilated town has 






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COPYRIGHT, BY J. M. JORDAN, 18 k 8 



STATUE OF THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE, 
FORT DE FRANCE, MARTINIQUE 



PORT LOUIS 



GUADELOUPE 

(FRENCH) 



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58 



MARTINIQUE 
HEARD. DUST 
AND EARTHQUAKES. 




ST. LUCIA BEING IN THE CENTRE-THIS DIAGRAM SHOWS THE 
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MARTINIQUE IS 100 MILES FROM ST. VINCENT 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 129 

begun. Bnough has already been revealed to indicate that the 
very worst anticipations as to the result of the eruption of Mont 
Pelee are realized. Those who have come back here from St. 
Pierre report that the streets, and all the neighborhood around, 
what a few days ago was the largest and most prosperous city in 
Martinique, are now covered with heaps upon heaps of dead 
bodies in all directions. 

"All the dead thus far seen were stark naked, their clothing 
apparently having burned from their bodies like so much tinder, 
while they themselves were burned to death. In the vast majority 
of instances fire seems to have been the sole cause of death. 
Great numbers of the bodies have been burst asunder by the 
terrific heat and lie disembowelled. 

FACES OF THE VICTIMS. 

" In many instances the faces of the victims are quite calm, 
as though they were stricken down instantly where they stood 
without a moment's warning or with hardly time to appreciate 
the deadly peril they were in. Others have stamped on their 
faces an expression of indescribable terror. The entire city and 
the neighborhood all about it reek with a horrible odor of burned 
flesh. 

" Almost the first thing done was to make preparations for 
the cremation of the dead. Fatigue parties of soldiers built enor- 
mous pyres of wood and branches of trees, upon which they heaped 
the dead bodies by scores and burned them as rapidly as possible. 
To faciliate the combustion and to destroy as far as possible the 
awful odor of burning flesh which came from them the impromptu 
crematories were heavily soaked with coal tar and petroleum. 

" The total number of dead is now estimated at fully 30,000. 
The disaster itself took place within thirty seconds, and in that 
half minute the vast majority of all these people were killed. It 
is supposed — for there is nobody living apparently to tell the exact 
facts — that there was suddenly shot down from the mountain a 
great sheet of flame, accompanied by a terrible gaseous whirlwind 
and flashes of lightning, precisely such as are now reported as 

9-MAR 



130 AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

playing about the summit of La Soufriere on the island of St 
Vincent. 

"The latest information received here is that the entire quar- 
ters of the Fort and of Carbet (districts of the city) are completely 
wrecked, forming heap upon he?p of ruins, covered thickly over 
with ashes, cinders and masses of mud and lava commingled. 
What horrible revelations of the havoc wrought to human life 
which these grim mounds are yet to reveal can hardly be imagined. 
In these two quarters of the city not a trace of the streets thai: 
existed there can be seen. They are buried as completely out of 
sight as were those of Pompeii. 

" Along the water front there are a few walls standing and the 

ruins of the Custom House can be seen. Curiously enough the 

face and hands of the clock on the hospital were not destroyed, and 

they furnish an important record in the history of this terrible 

catastrophe. The hands of the clock had stopped at precisely 

ten minutes to eight, showing that it was at that moment that the 

city was overwhelmed and all those thousands of persons within 

its environs were destroyed. At the last accounts from St Pierre 

the work of exploring the ruins for the treasure buried beneath 

them was going on at the same time with the incineration of the 

dead." 

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S SPECIAL MESSAGE. 

President Roosevelt on May 12th sent a special message to 
Congress rehearsing the facts of the calamity at Martinique, and 
urging the necessity of prompt relief measures by the United 
States. He recommended an appropriation of $500,000. 

The House passed by an overwhelming vote a bill granting 
$200,000 for the relief of the sufferers in the West Indies. The 
bill was a substitute for the relief measure passed by the Senate, 
and followed the receipt of the message from the President. Mr. 
Hemenway, the acting Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, 
explained that the amount was limited to $200,000 owing to the 
fact that large private contributions were being made. The dis- 
cussion was brief, Mr. Underwood, of Alabama, being the only one 
to speak in opposition. The bill was passed by 196 votes to 9. 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 131 

The Senate subsequently concurred in the action of the House, 
and the bill was sent to the President. 

The War Department took prompt measures to expend the 
$200,003 relief appropriation through the Commissary Depot in 
New York. It is hoped to have the Dixie loaded with these sup- 
plies by Wednesday, the 14th. Consul Ayme, of Pointe-a-Pitre, 
cabled from Fort-de-France quoting the Governor as estimating 
that 30,000 had perished and 50,000 were homeless and hungry 
in Martinique. Previous despatches had assumed that Governor 
Mouttet was among the dead. 

An expedition sent from Fort-de-France to begin sanitary 
and relief work av. St. Pierre reported that of the refugees who 
assembled at Le Carbet and Case Pilote, over 1000 had died since 
the 8th inst. It was also said that 4000 people from Le Precheur 
and vicinity were rescued by the French cruiser Suchet and 
the cable steamer Pouyer Quertier and taken to Fort-de-France. 

STORM OF POISONOUS GASES. 

An examination of the bodies at St- Pierre indicated that the 
fiery storm which burst over the town from Mont Pelee must have 
been composed in part of poisonous gases. Nearly all the victims 
had their hands over their mouths, or were in some attitude show- 
ing attempts to escape suffocation. All the bodies were carbonized 
or roasted. The latest reprts from the northern portion of Mar- 
tinique were to the effect that the land was in a state of perpetual 
change. New crevasses and valleys were forming, and lava con- 
tinued to stream down the sides of Mont Pelee. 

The Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent was still in active 
eruption, according to last accounts. Barbados, ninety-six miles 
off, was in total darkness for a time, and pebbles and ashes fell 
there. Refugees from St. Vincent were arriving at Dominica. 
The French cable steamer Pouyer Quertier in trying to repair the 
Martinique cable was reported to have found the cable sunk in 
600 fathoms of water, where formerly it was only 150 fathoms 
below the surface. 

A public official at Fort-de-France who was fully informed of 



132 AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

the horrible situation in Martinique made the following horrify- 
ing statement : 

" It now seems to be generally admitted that about 30,000 
persons lost their lives as a result of the outbreak of the Mont 
Pelee volcano, at St. Pierre, on Thursday last. Careful investi- 
gation by competent Government officials shows that the earlier 
reports of the Associated Press were accurate. 

" Briefly put, last Thursday morning the city of St. Pierre 
disappeared within ten minutes in a whirling fire vomited from 
Mont Pelee, 30,000 persons were instantly and horribly killed and 
the volcano, whose ancient crater for more than fifty years had 
been occupied by a quiet lake in which picnic parties bathed sud- 
denly discharged a torrent of fiery mud, which rolled towards the 
sea, engulfing everything before it. Then the last of cable commu- 
nication was broken, and the doomed city was isolated from the 

world. 

ACCOUNT BY THE AMERICAN CONSUL. 

" The American Consul at Guadeloupe, Louis H. Ayme, has 
reached the desolate spot where St. Pierre stood and confirms the 
awful story in all its essential details. From an interview with 
Consul Ayme, who is a trained American newspaper man, a corre- 
spondent of the Associated Press learned the following facts : 

"Thursday morning the inhabitants of the city awoke to find 
heavy clouds shrouding the Mont Pelee crater. All day Wed- 
nesday horrid detonations had been heard. These were echoed 
from St. Thomas on the north to Barbados on the south. The 
cannonading ceased on Wednesday night, and fine ashes fell like 
rain on St. Pierre. The inhabitants were alarmed, but Governor 
Mouttet, who had arrived at St. Pierre the evening before, did 
everything possible to allay the panic. 

"The British steamer Roraima reached St. Pierre on Thurs- 
day with ten passengers, among whom were Mrs. Stokes and her 
three children, and Mrs. H. J. Ince. They were watching the 
rain of ashes, when, with a frightful roar and terrific electric dis- 
charges, a cyclone of fire, mud and steam swept down from the 
crater over the town and bay, sweeping all before it and destroy- 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 133 

ing the fleet of vessels at anchor off the shore. There the accounts 
of the catastrophe so far obtainable cease. Thirty thousand 
corpses are strewn about, buried in the ruins of St. Pierre, or else 
floating, gnawed by sharks, in the surrounding seas. Twenty- 
eight charred, half-dead human beings were brought here. Six- 
teen of them are already dead, and only four of the whole number 
are expected to recover. 

' The Associated Press steamer, chartered in Guadeloupe, 
neared Martinique at 6.30 Sunday morning. The island, with its 
lofty hills, was hidden behind a huge veil of violet or leaden 
colored haze. Enormous quantities of the wreckage of large and 
small ships and houses strewed the surface of the sea. Huge 
trees and too often bodies, with flocks of sea-gulls soaring above 
and hideous sharks fighting about them, were floating here and 
there. From behind the volcanic veil came blasts of hot wind, 
mingled with others icy cold. 

MEN AND WOMEN FRANTIC TO ESCAPE. 

"At Le Precheur, five miles north of St. Pierre, canoes, with 
men and women frantic to get away, begged for a passage on the 
steamer. The whole north end of the island was covered with 
a silver gray coating of ashes resembling dirty snow. Furious 
blasts of fire, ashes and mud swept over the steamer, but, finally, 
St. Pierre was reached. 

'The city of St. Pierre stretched nearly two miles along the 
water front and half a mile back to a cliff at the base of the 
volcano. The houses of the richer French families were built of 
stone. The still smoking volcano towered above the ash-covered 
hills. The ruins were burning in many places, and frightful 
odors of burned flesh filled the air. 

" With great difficulty a landing was effected. Not one 
house was left intact. Viscid heaps of mud, of brighter ashes or 
piles of volcanic stones were seen on every side. The streets 
could hardly be traced. Here and there amid the ruins were 
heaps of corpses. Almost all the faces were downward. In one 
corner twenty-two bodies of men, women and children were 



134 AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

mingled in one awful mass, arms and legs protruding as the hap- 
less beings fell in the last struggles of death's agony. 

"Through the middle of the old Place Bertiu ran a tiny 
stream, the remains of the River Gayave. Great trees, with roots 
upward and scorched by fire, were strewn in every direction. 
Huge blocks and still hot stones were scattered about. From 
under one large stone the arm of a white woman protruded. Most 
notable was the utter silence and the awful, overpowering stench 
from the thousands of dead. 

" Careful inspection showed that the fiery stream which so 
completely destroyed St. Pierre must have been composed of 
poisonous gases, which instantly suffocated every one who inhaled 
them, and of other gases burning furiously, for nearly all the 
victims had their hands covering their mouths or were in some 
other attitude showing that they had sought relief from suffoca- 
tion. All the bodies were carbonized or roasted. 

A GHASTLY SCENE OF DEATH. 

"A. G. Austen, the manager of the Colonial Bank of Bar- 
bados, landed at St. Pierre with a party from the British royal 
mail steamer Solent. A horse and buggy and a policeman were 
in a dead group at the door of the bank. At the request of S. 
A. McAllister, the United States Consul at Barbados, Captain 
Davis and the Solent were placed at his disposition by the Barbados 
Government. The Solent arrived at about the same time as the 
Associated Press steamers and brought to St. Pierre the Colonial 
Secretary, two civil doctors, two military officers, and Dr. W. B. 
Aughinbaugh, of Washington, as well as a corporal and four 
hospital orderlies, three trained nures and a full field hospital 
outfit. The Barbados Government also sent 700 barrels of pro- 
visions, one ton of ice and a full supply of medicine. These were 
useful, but the dead only needed quick burial. 

" The Soufriere volcano on the island of St. Vincent has been 

in full eruption since Wednesday last. Several plantations have 

• been destroyed. Earthquakes and loud reports accompanied the 

eruption, and stones and ashes fell at Kingstown. Many persons 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 135 

were wounded, and the bodies of 500 dead are unburied. Barbados, 
ninety-six miles off, was in total darkness for a time. Pebbles 
and gritty substances have fallen there. Canoes crowded with 
refugees are arriving at Dominica, and their occupants are most 
hospitably received." 

Several steamers, including the Government vessel Rubis, 
started from Fort-de-France May nth for St. Pierre. They had 
on board a Government delegate, a number of gendarmes, a 
detachment of regular infantry and several priests. The vessels 
also carried a quantity of firewood, petroleum and quicklime, for 
use in the cremation of the bodies of the victims of the terrible vol- 
canic outbreak of Thursday last. Large quantities of disinfec- 
tants and stocks of clothing for the refugees were also shipped to 
St. Pierre. The refugees had, as a rule, assembled at L,e Carbet 
and Case Pilote, not far from St. Pierre, and it was reported over 
a thousand of them had died since the fearful stream of lava 
poured down Mont Pelee. The sea for miles around was covered 
with the wreckage of the vessels sunk off St. Pierre at the time 
of the disaster, and in shore only a few trees, all bent seaward by 
the force of the volcanic shower, were left standing. 

SUFFOCATING HEAT. 

When nearing St. Pierre the Rubis met a number of tugs 
towing lighters filled with refugees. 

The heat from the smoking, lava-covered ruins at St. Pierre 
were suffocating, and the stench from the corpse strewn streets 
was awful. Only a few walls were standing. The report that 
the hospital clock was found intact, with its hands stopped at 
7.50, was confirmed, as was the statement that the offices of the 
cable company had entirely disappeared. 

On all sides were found portions of corpses, which were 
gathered up by the soldiers and gendarmes and burned on one 
of the public squares. Not a drop of water was procurable ashore. 
The darkness caused by the clouds of volcanic dust shrouded the 
town, and continuous subterranean rumblings added to the horror 
of the scene. 



136 AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

The fort and central quarters of the town were razed to the 
ground and were displaced by beds of hot cinders. The iron grill- 
work gate of the Government offices was alone standing. There 
was no trace of the streets. 

At the landing place some burned and ruined walls indicated 
the spot where the Custom House formerly stood, and traces of 
the larger shops could be seem In that neighborhood hundreds 
of corpses were found lying in all kinds of attitudes, showing that 
the victims had met death as if by a lightning stroke. Every 
vestige of clothing was burned away from the charred bodies, and 
in many cases the abdomens had been burst open by the intense 
heat. Curiously enough, the features of the dead were generally 
calm and reposeful, though in some cases terrible fright and 
agony were depicted. Grim piles of bodies were stacked every- 
where, showing that death had stricken them while the crowds 
were vainly seeking escape from the fiery deluge. 

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FLEEING. 

Nearly four thousand of the refugees from the vicinity of the 
village of Le Precheur, a suburban village to the north of St. 
Pierre, were rescued by the French cruiser Suchet and the cable 
repair ship Pouyer Quertier, and were brought here. 

As a result of his inspection, the commander of the Suchet 
reported that crevices and valleys were constantly forming in the 
northern portions of the island, where the land is in a state of 
perpetual change. Fortunately that part of the country had been 
evacuated in good time by the inhabitants, who fled to Fort-de- 
France. Lava continued to stream down the mountain side, 
acommpanied by terrific thunder and lightning. 

The dearth of provision was beginning to be felt throughout 
the island. Numerous families were completely ruined and even 
shelterless, while the means at the disposal of the authorities 
were much too inadequate to cope with the situation. Commu- 
nications were practically cut off from all the surrounding islands, 
except by stray vessels, which were seized upon by the inhabit- 
ants to flee from Martinique. 



AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 137 

The stories of the survivors added to the awful details of the 
particularly harrowing account of the British steamer Roraima. 

C. C. Evans, of Montreal, and John G. Morris, of New York, 
who were at the military hospital of Fort-de-France, said the 
vessel arrived at six. As eight bells was struck a frightful 
explosion was heard up in the mountains. A cloud of fire, top- 
pling and roaring, swept with lightning speed down the mountain 
side and over the town and bay. The Roraima was nearly sunk, 
and caught fire at once. 

"I never can forget the horrid, fiery, choking whirlwind 
which enveloped me," said Mr. Evans. " Mr. Morris and I rushed 
below. We are not very badly burned — not so bad as most of 
them. When the fire came we were going to our posts to weigh 
anchor and get out. When we came up we found the ship all 
afire aft, and fought it forward until three o'clock, when the 
Suchet came to our rescue. We were then building a raft." 

STORY OF THE SHIP CARPENTER. 

"Ben" Benson, the carpenter of the Roraima, said: "I was 
on deck, amidships, when I heard an explosion. The captain 
ordered me to up anchor. I got to the windlass, but when the fire 
came I went into the forecastle and got my ' duds.' When I came 
out I talked with Captain Muggah and Mr. Scott, the first officer 
and others. They had been on the bridge. The captain was 
horribly burned. He had inhaled flames and wanted to jump into 
the sea. I tried to make him take a life preserver. The captain, 
who was undressed, jumped overboard and hung on to a line for 
awhile. Then he disappeared." " Gus " Lander, the quarter- 
master of the steamer, who was horribly burned and could 
scarcely speak, confirmed this. 

Joseph Beckels, a seaman, who is fifty years of age and was 
so frightfully burned that he died, having inhaled flame, said in 
weak tones that he was the last man to see the captain. The 
captain was then trying to reach a floating mattress. 

From the Italian ship Teresa Lovico several men were saved, 
but they were in a frightful state, except Jean Louis Prudent, of 



138 AWFUL SCENE IN ST. PIERRE. 

St. Pierre. Although on deck and unprotected, he was little 
burned. Prudent says there was first an awful noise of explosion, 
and then at once a cyclone of smoke and fire, but such was the 
awful, poisonous, choking nature of the smoke that it burned 
worse than fire. When it struck people they fell dead. The 
cyclone of gas tore the masts out of the ships, blew others up and 
sunk some of them. Soon afterward came a wave of fire bigger 
than the smoke cloud. 



CHAPTER V. 

President Roosevelt's Special Message to Congress.— 
Large Appropriation by Our Government for Immedi- 
ate Relief of the Survivors. — Additional Details of 
the Terrible Calamity.— Scenes Baffling Description. 

/""""^N Monday, May 12th, the President sent the following 

^-^ message to Congress, which was read in the Senate and 

referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations : 

To the Senate and House of Representatives : 

One of the greatest calamities in history has fallen upon our 
neighboring Island of Martinique. The Consul of the United 
States at Guadeloupe has telegraphed from Fort-de-France, under 

date of yesterday, that the disaster is complete, that the city of 
St. Pierre has ceased to exist and that the American Consul and 
his family have perished. He is informed that 30,000 people have 
lost their lives and 50,000 are homeless and hungry, that there 
is urgent nesd of all kinds of provisions and that the visit of 
vessels for the work of supply and rescue is imperatively required. 
The Government of France, while expressing theirthanks for 
the marks of sympathy which have reached them from America, 
informs us that Fort-de-France and the entire Island of Martinique 
are still threatened. They therefore request that, for the purpose 
of rescuing the people who are in such deadly peril and threatened 
with starvation, the Government of the United States may send ; 
as soon as possible, the means of transporting them from the 
stricken island. The Island of St. Vincent, and perhaps others 
in that region, are also seriously menaced by the calamity which 
has taken so appalling a form in Martinique. 

I have directed the Departments of Treasury, of War and of 
the Navy to take such measures for the relief of these stricken 
people as lies within the executive discretion, and I earnestly 

139 



140 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

commend this case of unexampled disaster to the generous con- 
sideration of the Congress. For this purpose I recommend that 
an appropriation of $500,000 be made, to be immediately available. 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
White House, Washington, May 12, 1902. 

This urgent message brought the volcanic calamity in the 
West Indies before the House during the afternoon, the District 
of Columbia measures being laid aside to permit the relief bill to 
be considered. In view of the President's message urging an 
appropriation of $500,000, the House Committee on Appropria- 
tions unanimously offered a substitute to the Senate bill, making 
the sum $200,000, and placing its disposition under the President 
of the United States. 

CONSENT FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION. 

Mr. Hemenway, the acting Chairman of the Appropriation 
Committee, secured unanimous consent for immediate considera- 
tion. The amount, he said, had been limited to $200,000 because 
the Committee was informed that large contributions were being 
made by private parties. He specified one of $500 made by a 
citizen of Maine. Mr. Hemenway urged the need of prompt 
action, saying thousands might die through delay. The text of 
the substitute as presented was as follows : 

" To enable the President of the United States to procure 
and distribute among the suffering and destitute people of the 
islands of the French West Indies such provisions, clothing, 
medicines and other necessary articles, and to take such other 
steps as he shall deem advisable for the purpose of rescuing and 
succoring the people who are in peril and threatened with starva- 
tion, the sum of $200,000 is hereby appropriated 

"In the execution of this act the President is requested to 
ask and obtain the approval of the French Government, and he is 
hereby authorized to employ any vessels of the United States 
Navy and to charter and employ any other suitable steamships or 
vessels." 

Mr. Underwood, of Alabama, said that he was opposed to the 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 141 

measure and would vote against it. Mr. McRae, of Arkansas, made 
an appeal for prompt and unanimous action, in the interest of 
humanity, and Mr. Livingstone, of Georgia, added the hope that 
the country would not turn back upon its record for succoring 
those in distress, without reference to nationality or locality. 

Mr. Fitzgerald, of New York, sought to have the amount 
amended to $500,000, in accordance with the President's recom- 
mendation, but, in view of the unanimous action of the committee, 
the amendment was not pressed. The bill was passed — 196 to 9. 
The Senate subsequently concurred in the House amendment, 
fixing the appropriation at $200,000, and the bill was sent to the 
President. 

VIGOROUS MEASURES FOR PROMPT DESPATCH. 

As the action of Congress was anticipated the War Depart- 
ment took vigorous measures to secure the prompt despatch of a 
relief ship. The profound impression made upon the people of 
the United States by the terrible calamity was manifested by the 
action of the President in sending a special message to Congress, 
and the prompt response of that body by the passage of a joint 
resolution appropriating $200,000 for the relief of the stricken 
people. In anticipation of affirmative action by Congress, the 
President caused the Secretaries of the Treasury, War and Navy 
to make preparations for the prompt despatch of supplies and 
vessels to Martinique. 

Becoming convinced that the required appropriation would 
be made, and that the Executive would be given authority to act 
in the matter of furnishing speedy relief, President Roosevelt 
summoned Secretary Hay for consultation early in the morning. 
Mr. Hay brought with him to the White House a despatch 
received from Consul L/Ouis H. Ayme, of Guadeloupe, who was 
directed by Mr. Hay to proceed at once to Martinique and report 
the extensive character of the disaster. The despatch from Consul 
Ayme served as official confirmation of the newspaper reports as 
to the extent of the calamity, and in the opinion of the President 
and Secretary Hay fully justified emergency measures. 



142 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

Secretary Hay was requested to acquaint Secretary Root and 
Secretary Moody with trie President's wishes, and they were 
charged to carry out the details of the arrangements. The 
Treasury Department was also instructed to co-operate, and it was 
supposed that this would mean the employment of the revenue 
cutters and the medical officers of the marine hospital service. 

The first step was to make preparation for the distribution of 
tne fund which it was confidently felt Congress would appro- 
priate. It was realized that the War Department, with its 
thoroughly organized divisions for the handling and distribution 
of supplies of all kinds, was in better condition to take charge of 
the important work than any other department. The War Depart- 
ment could provide the supplies, but had no means available for 
their transportation to the West Indeas, and, therefore, it was 
recognized that merchant lines must be utilized, unless vessels 
could be furnished by the navy. 

ORDERS TO LOAD A VESSEL. 

Fortunately, it was found the navy had a vessel, the Dixie, 
that could be used for the required service. Therefore, it was 
decided to use that vessel, and orders were immediately tele- 
graphed her commander at New York to prepare to take on army 
supplies and to sail immediately upon doing so for Martinique. 
The United States steamship Buffalo, also at New York, was 
ordered to carry supplies if the Dixie should not be able to 
take all that might be sent. The Buffalo is a converted freight 
ship, and well adapted to the work contemplated. 

The officers of the Navigation Bureau believed the Dixie could 
be made ready for sea by Wednesday, the 14th. There were at 
jNew York large quantities of army stores, and these could be 
drawn upon. The scientific divisions of the navy would send on 
the Dixie, as passengers, two experts with instructions to report 
on the causes of the calamity, and to gather facts in connection 
with the results that followed. A specialist on volcanic action 
from Harvard University was also to go on the Dixie as a passenger. 

Quartermaster General Ludington, Commissary General 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 143 

Weston and Surgeon General Sternberg were summoned to the 
office of Secretary Root, and after a short consultation were 
directed to take charge of arrangements for that portion of the 
work of relief that would come to the War Department. Follow- 
ing this consultation an order was issued from the Adjutant Gen- 
eral's office, which, after reciting the anticipated action of 
Congress in making an appropriation, directed that the Quarter- 
master, Commissary and Surgeon Generals provide the provisions, 
clothing, medicines and other necessary supplies to be taken from 
the stores of the army, in whole or in part. These officials were 
further directed to make all necessary preparation to accomplish 
the work assigned to them without delay. 

PLANS FOR DISTRIBUTION. 

The scheme of distribution decided upon was as follows : 
Three medical officers, with $5000 in medical stores ; one subsist- 
ence officer, with $70,000 in stores, consisting of rice, dried fish, 
sugar, coffee, tea, canned soups, condensed cream, salt, pepper and 
vinegar; one officer of Quartermaster's Department, with $20,000 
in clothing supplies for men, women and children. The above 
distribution was approved by Secretary Root, who directed that the 
purchases be made accordingly, ready for shipment. 

All the officers mentioned and the stores were to be sent on 
the United States ship Dixie, to be distributed at such points as 
might be designated by the navy officer in command of the Dixie, 
under instructions given by the Secretary of the Navy. The 
medical officers were instructed to render such medical aid as 
might be in their power, in addition to the distribution of medical 
supplies. 

With his usual energy and dash, Commissary General Weston 
telegraphed immediately to Colonel Brainard, the commissary 
officer in charge at New York, directing him to expend the allot- 
ment in the purchase of tea, coffee, sugar and canned soups, and 
to see that these goods were loaded on the Dixie at once. 

Captain Gallagher, one of General Weston's most valued 
assistants, was selected to go to New York and proceed on the 



144 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

Dixie to Martinique. He was to have complete charge of the dis- 
tribution of the stores, and a fund of $5000 was alloted to him for 
emergency expenses. 

There was an air of bustle and hurry about the Cob Dock, 
in the Navy Yard, Brooklyn, May 12th, due to the rush orders 
to get the training ship Dixie ready to go to Martinique with 
relief supplies for the victims of the volcanic eruption. Early in 
the morning the Dixie's moorings were loosened and two laden coal 
barges were floated in between her and the dock. Two more were 
moored on the channel side of the vessel and soon tons and tons 
of coal were being passed aboard in baskets and dumped into the 
bunker. The crew of the Dixie, made up of about two hundred 
men, were early at work, and to their assistance came about two 
hundred more tars from the receiving ship Columbia. 

EMINENT GEOLOGISTS SAILED ON THE DIXIE. 

Prof. Thomas A. Jagger, of Harvard University ; Prof. 
Israel C. Russell, of the University of Michigan ; Robert T. 
Hill, of the U. S. Geological Survey ; E. O. Hovey, of the Ameri- 
can Museum of Natural History, and J. Martin Miller, the 
well-known historian. 

LARGE CARGO OF PROVISIONS. 

Carloads of provisions and food supplies of almost all kinds 
were wheeled from the department of provisions and clothing 
through the yard to the Cob Dock, to be stored on the training 
ship. Rations to last the officers and crew three months were put 
aboard. Besides the rations for the crew the Commissary Depart- 
ment of the army started to send a large stock of supplies aboard. 
The army sent between 2,000 and 3,000 tons of supplies of all 

kinds. 

Major von Schrader, who has charge at the Army Building 
in the absence of Colonel Kimball, received from Colonel Brainard, 
of the Army Subsistence Department, an order to purchase 
$70,000 worth of tea, coffee, sugar, and canned soups and clothing 
for shipment to Martinique. Colonel H. J. Gallagher was to go 
to Fort-de-France and have personal charge of the distribution of 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 145 

the relief supplies. Twenty thousand dollars were used to 
provide clothing and temporary shelter for the sufferers, $5000 for 
medicines and $5000 was allowed to Colonel Gallagher to defray 
his personal expenses and to be used at his discretion for the 
relief of the sufferers. 

Most of the stores needed for the Dixie were not in stock at 
the Army Building and Major von Schrader and his staff were 
busy all day buying them. They purchased cotton prints, hats, 
shoes, blankets, and wearing apparel, generally for women and 
children. These were supplemented by large quantities of food 
in bulk, such as beef, ham, pork, canned goods and vegetables. 
They also collected large quantities of medical supplies. 

Everything purchased was being paid for in cash, and Major 
von Schrader will be reimbursed out of the appropriation of the 
Government. Pier 15, Brooklyn, was leased by Major von 
Scharder as a depository. 

APPEAL FROM THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK. 

Mayor Low, of New York, issued this appeal for funds for 
the relief of the sufferers from the disaster at Martinique : 

"The appalling calamity at Martinique and in the neigh- 
boring islands, makes an appeal to the generosity of New York 
that I am sure will not be disregarded. It is evident that help 
will be needed on a large scale, and needed promptly. I am glad 
to perceive that the Chamber of Commerce is to hold a special 
meeting on Wednesday to take steps for raising a suitable relief 
fund. If there are any who wish to transmit money for this 
purpose through the Mayor, I shall be glad to receive it and to 
transmit it to its destination through the Chamber of Commerce. 
I hope that New York will maintain its old time reputation foi 
liberal giving." 

After consulting with several other members, Morris K. 
Jesup, President of the New York Chamber of Commerce, decided 
not to wait for the special meeting called, but to arrange at once 
to send relief to the stricken inhabitants of Martinique. He con- 
sulted with the French Consul, and, through that official, cabled 

10-MAR 



146 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

on his own responsibiluy, an offer of 25,000 francs for immediate 
use by the government of Martinique. 

Mr. Jesup also started an investigation among the steamship 
agencies, which resulted in the discovery that two Quebec Steam- 
ship Company boats loaded with provisions were at the Windward 
Islands, consigned to points not far from St. Pierre. Mr. Jesup 
hoped to buy the cargoes of one or both of these steamers. 

" Doubtless, the Chamber of Commerce will ratify any action 
I may take," Mr. Jesup said, " and there is no time to wait until 
we can assemble that body. What the people of Martinique want, 
and at once, is food and clothing. There are, at least, two steam- 
ers loaded with food within one hundred miles of St. Pierre, and 
I am endeavoring, with the assistance of the French Consul and 
the French Government, to buy, or have the French Government 
buy for me, all that they contain which is available for use. 

ARRANGING TO PURCHASE SUPPLIES. 

" We could extend relief at once if we could get hold of these 
vessels. I understand that in the case of one of them, at least, 
nearly all the consignees are dead, and there is no one to receive 
the cargo. If I can make arrangements to purchase I will buy at 
once and depend upon the Chamber of Commerce to support my 
action." 

One of the steamers to which Mr. Jesup referred was the 
Madiana, Captain R. Fraser, which sailed from New York with 
consignments to St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Kitts, Antigua, Guade- 
loupe, St. Pierre, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. She arrived at St. 
Thomas at 8 o'clock Sunday night, the nth. Of her cargo of 
1800 barrels at least 1500 barrels were consigned to St. Pierre and 
Fort-de-France. Nearly all of it. was foodstuffs, such as flour, 
beef, pork, bread, meal, oleomargarine and lard. The other 
steamer was the Caribee, which is loaded almost entirely with 
foodstuffs. She was already due at Barbados. About one-half 
of her cargo was consigned to Barbados and the other to Dem- 
erara. 

A. J. Outerbridge, of the Quebec Steamship Company, 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS, 147 

said he thought it possible Mr. Jesup might obtain that por- 
tion of the cargo of the Madiana con signed to Martinique, but he 
did not see how he could obtain possession of the foodstuffs on 
the Caribee. There was no doubt, he said, that many of the con- 
signees of the Madiana cargo were dead. He had been busy all 
day obtaining from consignors in and about New York the names 
of persons to whom the goods might be delivered and he thought 
it possible Mr. Jesup might be able to purchase the entire 1500 
barrels. The Caribee' s cargo, however, was wholly for Barbados 
and Demerara, and in both places the inhabitants are in need of 
food. In Barbados, particularly, owing to the loss of the Ror- 
aima, food was wanted. 

"We have been compelled," Mr Outerbridge said, "to 
send the Navigator to Barbados, and will load her so that she 
can start on May 24th. This is an extra steamer made necessary 
by the lack of breadstuffs on that island. 

SUPPLIES FOR TWO WEEKS. 

"In my judgment, the supplies on the Madiana would be 
sufficient to maintain the survivors of the disaster for two weeks, 
unless there are a great many more than has been announced. 
Ordinarily the Madiana would reach Fort-de-France on May 16th, 
but perhaps an arrangement could be made by which she would 
go there direct, without stopping at St. Croix, St. Kitts, Antigua 
and Guadeloupe." 

Mr Outerbridge said that on Saturday the Fontabella, of the 
Quebec line, would sail for the West Indies, and he had been 
asked by the United States Government to charter the unused 
space in that vessel. This privilege had been extended to the 
officials. A letter, signed by members of the Chamber of Com- 
merce, urging him to call a meeting of that body, was presented 
to President Jesup. Those who signed the call were Messrs. 
J. Edward Simmons, Alexander E. Orr, James G- Cannon, Jacob 
Schiff, Robert M. Galloway, William C. Ee Gendre, Eugene 
De Lane, Lyman J. Gage, Gates W. McGarrah, A. Bar- 
ton Hepburn, Joseph C. Hendrix and Henry Hentz. Mr. 



148 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

Jesup had already called the meeting when this request was 
received. 

The Merchants' Association sent this dispatch to President 
Roosevelt yesterday: "If there is any way in which we can co- 
operate with the Government, or separately, in aiding in the relief 
work in Martinique and St. Vincent, you have but to command 

us." 

HOW TO GET TRANSPORTATION. 

A similar telegram was sent to the Secretary of War. The 
Association and the Chamber of Commerce co-operated in the 
relief of Jacksonville, Fla., and had $1000 left, which would prob- 
ably be turned over for relief work in Martinique. Association 
representatives said the principal question in sending supplies to 
Martinique was one of transportation. Vessels were scarce. 
William R. Corwine, of the Association tried to get a vessel. 
Agents of the Red D line expect the Zulia in on May 20th, and 
say she could be ready to sail on May 2 2d. 

Washington, D. C, Monday. — Following is the text of the 
cablegram between Presidents Roosevelt and Loubet on the Mar- 
tinique disaster : 

" Washington, May 10, 1902. 
" His Exellency M. Einile Loubet, President of the French Re- 
public, Paris : 

" I pray Your Excellency to accept the profound sympathy 
of the American people in the appalling calamity which has come 
upon the people of Martinique. 

(Signed) "THEODORE ROOSEVELT." 

"Paris, May 11, 1902. 
"President Roosevelt : 

"I thank Your Excellency for the expression of profound 
sympathy you have sent me in the name of the American people 
on the occasion of the awful catastrophe in Martinique. The 
French people will certainly join me in thanks to the American 
people. "EMILE LOUBET." 

The Swedish Minister at Paris, H. Akerman, handed to M. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 149 

Decrais, Minister of the Colonies, 5000 francs ($1000) for the relief 
fnnd, in behalf of King Oscar. 

The Czar has telegraphed to President Loubet expressing 
the sincere sympathy of himself and the Czarina, who shared with 
France the sorrow caused by the terrible West Indian catastrophe. 

Pope Leo summoned the French Ambassador at Rome to the 
Vatican and expressed to him his keen sorrow on hearing of the 
St. Pierre disaster. The Pontiff requested that he be kept 
informed regarding the details of the volcanic outbreak. 

King Edward commanded Mr. Chamberlain to telegraph to 
the Governor of the Windward Islands His Majesty's deep regret 
at the calamity which had visited the Island of St. Vincent, and 
his sympathy with the sufferers and the bereaved. The governor 
was also instructed to spend all the money necessary for theii 
relief. He sent to the French authorities in Paris 25,000 francs 
($5,000), as his contribution to the fund being raised for the relief 
of the sufferers from the Martinique disaster. 

FLAGS AT HALF-MAST. 

Flags on the French Legation and over the Consulates in 
Lima and Callao, as well as on numerous private residences, were 
flying at half mast because of the disaster in Martinique. 

Members of only two families in New Orleans were lost in 
the Martinique disaster. Many years ago a considerable number 
of colonists came to New Orleans from Martinique, and the 
descendants of these families have many relatives in the island, 
but the relationship is so distant that it had been lost sight of. 
The American Vice Consul at St. Pierre, Amedee Testart, was 
from this city, and had a sister, Mrs. Carriene, living in Kerlevee 
street. R. E. Brouilhee, nephew of the Belgian Consul, had four 
aunts, the Misses Druill, living in St. Pierre, and the cable 
informed him that there was no hope that they were saved. 

William B. Scott, Professor of Geology in the university at 
Princeton, N. J., made a statement in regard to the eruption in the 
West Indies, which he says was very much similar to that of 
Vesuvius, and was probably caused by a rush of water to the lava 



150 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

reservoir. Professor Scott has spent considerable time in the 
study of volcanic regions, and is considered an authority on the 
subject. 

He said : " The evidence gleaned from the newspaper accounts 
is both contradictory and inconclusive. The eruption was of the 
explosive type similar to Vesuvius, but different in the nature of 
the matter ejected. In the case of Vesuvius the explosion was 
great enough to powder the lava ; here, however, immense masses 
of the lava were blown out. 

" To this white hot lava can be ascribed the destructive fire in 
the city and among the shipping in the harbor. The report of a 
rain of fire was simply this white hot lava. Gases probably did 
burn, but any fire from this source would have ascended, owing to 
the lighter weight of the gas. The sudden access of a body of 
water to the lava reservoir is the only explanation worthy on the 
present evidence. The eruption is peculiar, in that immense 
masses of lava were ejected along with the lava stream and that 
comparatively little volcanic dust was noticed. A force as great 
as this must have been should have powdered all the lava." 

STORY OF JAMES TAYLOR. 

James Taylor, of St. Kitts, a cooper employed on the Roraima 
said : "We left Dominica for St. Pierre at midnight on Wed- 
nesday, the seventh, arriving at the latter place about 7 o'clock 
Thursday morning. The greatest difficulty was experienced in 
getting into port, the air being thick with falling ashes and the 
darkness intense. The ship had to grope its way to the anchorage. 
Appalling sounds were issuing from the mountains behind the 
town, which was shrouded in darkness. The ashes were falling 
thickly on the steamer's deck, where the passengers and others 
were gathered, gazing at the town, some being engaged in photo- 
graphing the scene. 

" Hearing a tremendous report and seeing the ashes falling 
thicker, I dived into a room, dragging with me Samuel Thomas, 
a gangway man and a fellow countryman, shutting the door 
tightly. Shortly after I heard a voice, which I recognized as that 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 151 

of the chief mate, Mr. Scott. Opening the door with great caution, I 
drew him in. The nose of Thomas was burned by the intense heat. 
"We three and Thompson, the assistant purser, out of sixty- 
eight souls on board, were the only persons who escaped practically 
uninjured. The heat being unbearable, I emerged in a few 
moments and the scene that presented itself to my eyes baffles 
description. All around on the deck were the dead and dyinp; 
covered with boiling mud. There they lay, men, women and 
little children, and the appeals of the latter for water were heart- 
rending. When water was given them they could not swallow it, 
owing to their throats being filled with ashes or burnt with the 

heated air. 

THE SEA WAS HOT. 

"The ship was burning aft and I jumped overboard, the sea 
being intensely hot. I was at once swept seaward by a tidal wave, 
but, the sea receding a considerable distance, the return wave 
washed me against an upturned sloop to which I clung. I was 
joined by a man so dreadfully burned and disfigured as to be 
unrecognizable. Afterwards I found he was the captain of the 
Roraima, Captain Muggah. He was in dreadful agony, begging 
piteously to be put on board his ship. 

" Picking up some wreckage which contained bedding and a 
tool chest, I, with the help of five others who had joined me on 
the wreck, constructed a rude raft on which we placed the captain. 
Then, seeing an upturned boat, I asked one of the five, a native of 
Martinique, to swim and fetch it. Instead of returning to us, he 
picked up two of his countrymen and went away in the direction 
of Fort-de-France. Seeing the Roddam, which arrived in port 
shortly after we anchored, making for the Roraima, I said good- 
bye to the captain and swam back to the Roraima. 

"She, however, burst into flames and put to sea. I reached 
the Roraima at about half-past 2, and was afterwards taken off by 
a boat from the French warship Suchet. 

' Twenty-four others with myself were taken on to Fort-de- 
France. Three of these died before reaching port. A number of 
others have since died. 



152 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

"The following are likely to recover: Miss Stokes and 
nurse, who were passengers ; the purser, Thompson ; Third Mate 
Evans, Second Engineer Morris, Fourth Engineer Venson, Car- 
penter Eddie Messman and Giuseppi, a sailor. After spending 
the night in Fort-de France I was picked up by the Korona and 
brought here." 

Samuel Thomas, the gangway man whose life was saved by 
the forethought of Ta}dor, said that the scene on the burning ship 
was awful. The groans and cries of the dying, for whom nothing- 
could be done, were horrible. He described a woman as being 
burned to death with a living babe in her arms. He said that it 
seemed as if the whole world was afire. 

SHIP SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED, 

The inflammable material in the forepart of the ship that 
would have ignited that part of the vessel was thrown overboard 
by him and the other two uninjured men. The Grappler, the 
telegraph company's ship, was seen opposite the Usine Guerin, 
and disappeared as if blown up by a submarine explosion. The 
captain's body was subsequently found by a boat from the Suchet. 

A. E. Outerbridge, of the Quebec Steamship Company, New 
York, whose steamer Roraima was lost in the Bay of St. Pierre, 
Martinique, received the following cablegram from Dominica 
May 1 2th : 

" Chief officer and assistant purser taken by Korona at Fort- 
de-France. Engineer Morris and names cabled Saturday are left 
in hospital at Fort-de-France seriously injured. Muggah and 
Braun and all others dead. Muggah was captain of the Roraima; 
the others were members of the crew. The message received by 
Mr. Outerbridge on Saturday was as follows : "Survivors Roraima 
on Korona, First Officer Scott and Assistant Purser Thompson ; 
in hospital, Fort-de-France, Morley, second officer ; Thompson, 
third officer; Moores, Evans, second engineer; Benson, carpenter; 
Mayer, second steward ; Leady, mess man ; quartermaster ; Mrs 
Reid, stewardess ; three sailors." 

The following cablegram to Charles Van Romondt, of New 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 153 

York, was received from Joseph Duvallon, dated Fort-de-France : 
" St. Pierre totally destroyed. The families Devers and Girard 
also. Entire city with its inhabitants buried up. Provisions at 
Fort-de-France requisitioned by the Government. Madame and 
Mile. Defurg}' saved." 

The Colonial Office, in London, received the following- cable 
despatch from Administrator Bell, of the island of Dominica 
British West Indies : 

" The Martinique catastrophe appears to be even more terrible 
than at first reported. Refugees arriving here this morning say 
that new craters are open in many directions, that rivers are over- 
flowing, and that large areas in the north of the island are sub- 
merged. Other districts are crowded with survivors. Almost 
total darkness continues. I do not believe Guadeloupe can 
adequately relieve the stupendous distress." 

DESTRUCTION OF COAST VILLAGES 

The following despatch was received from Fort-de-France : 

; 'The coast villages near St. Pierre were destroyed simulta- 
neously with that town. The entire island, up to within a few 
miles of Fort-de-France, is covered with mud and ashes. The 
cattle of the island are either all dead or dying. The streams 
have dried up or are polluted. Thousands of persons are flocking 
to Fort-de-France. Unless relief is promptly sent, famine is immi- 
nent, and there is urgent need for the services of the Red Cross 
Society. 

"The French cable line, via Europe, is now the only means 
of telegraphic communication with the outside world. The 
demands made upon this line are extremely heavy. 

"The terrible explosion which occurred on board the Quebec 
Line Steamer Roraima probably resulted from kerosene. 

"The central and southern parts of St. Pierre are still burn- 
ing. The country side is deserted. Every family on the island 
is mourning the loss of relatives or friends. Business is at a 
complete standstill. St. Pierre was the financial and provisioning 
centre of the island. Mont Pelee is still in eruption, and even 



154 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

more violent and disastrous eruptions may follow. Volcanic 
ashes have fallen, against the wind, on the islands of Dominica 
and St. Vincent." 

"All the latest reports from the West Indies," said one of 
our newspapers, " tend to confirm and emphasize the horrors of 
the terrible blow that has fallen upon Martinique. No such 
appalling disaster, distinguished by the suddenness of the blow, 
the number of the victims, the completeness of the desolation, has 
ever come home to the civilized world with so overwhelming and 
harrowing a force. The convulsion of nature in Krakatoa in 1883 
was greater, but it was in a land remote and strange to civilized 
peoples. The West Indies, on the other hand, are now knit closely 
to America and Europe by the cable, steamships and the trade and 
intercourse that brings them near. 

THANKS FROM THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. 

" The Government of France, in thanking the United States 
for the marks of sympathy shown here, requests our aid in trans- 
porting the refugees in Martinique from the stricken island, where 
famine stares them in the face, and President Roosevelt, with 
characteristic promptness in emergency, has sent a special mes- 
sage to Congress, asking for an immediate appropriation of 
$500,000 to aid the sufferers. 

"The French Government has appealed for aid, and that 
alone should be sufficient for us to respond heartily and instantly, 
but there is a more potent reason in the indescribable sufferings 
of the survivors in Martinique and St. Vincent. Deprived of food 
and water, all must perish unless help is extended promptly. It 
is important that within twenty-four hours the appropriation asked 
for by President Roosevelt be approved by both branches of 
Congress and made available. Nothing should be permitted to 
obstruct the passage of the appropriation within the time named. 
On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered 'to the combined 
forces of America and France,' and now an opportunity is offered us 
to send our forces in aid of France's people in their hour of need. 

"It appears from late news that the loss of life in Martinique 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 155 

will be much greater than was at first reported. St. Pierre, with 
its 25,000, was completely wiped out, and it is probable that of 
the 30,000 inhabitants of the surrounding towns, many, if not the 
majority, have perished. In St. Vincent thousands of persons 
have lost their lives, and both islands have been laid waste in large 
part. Plantations in both have been ruined, stock has been killed, 
crops destroyed, and the means of subsistence have been wrested 
from the people. 

" From present indications, the fertile land in a large part of 
each island has been turned into a desert by the showers of ashes, 
stones, lava and volcanic dust, and the inhabitants will be thus 
bereft of homes as well as goods. In Martinique 50,000 persons 
are homeless, and the island is incapable of providing for them. 
The need of assistance in order that famine and disease may be 
averted is most urgent, and the prompt action of the Army and 
War Departments, in taking measures to give instant relief, under 
the direction of the President, will receive universal commendation. 

RESPONSE TO APPEALS FOR AID. 

"Amid the overshadowing gloom caused by the calamity 
there is a gleam of light to be seen in the prompt humanity with 
which all civilized peoples are respouding to the appeal for help 
tacitly made by the suffering survivors of the awful events noted 
by President Roosevelt as among the most terrible in the history 
of the human race. The President himself was one of the first to 
act in the matter, and our Government has answered his call with 
an appropriation of $200,000, a million francs, which, in the eyes 
of our neighbors of France and their colonists in the desolated 
island will seem indeed as it truly is, a munificent donation. 

" The several departments of the Government, acting together 
in harmony with the President, are moving to despatch needed 
supplies of food and raiment to St. Pierre in the promptest possible 
manner, and how quickly the American Government can move in 
such an emergency has been effectively illustrated before now, so 
that every confidence may be felt as to relief being afforded where 
it is most needed within a very short time. 



156 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. 

" Local governmental authorities everywhere are following 
the example so well offered in Washington, and it is to be noted 
with satisfaction that our own city (Philadelphia) is, as usual in 
such cases, among the first to take effective action. We have, 
fortunately, an organization ready for work on such occasions, 
prepared and equipped to move on the instant whenever a call 
comes like this sounding to us from Martinique. 

The Permanent Relief Committee has been summoned by the 
Mayor of the city to meet at his office for the purpose of directing 
and controlling the helpful impulses always inspiring our people 
in such extremities. The Permanent Relief Committee has a 
reserve fund at its command, which can be instantly used, and the 
avenues of subscription to enlarge its means of usefulness, always 
open and always commanding the confidence of the community, 
are already bringing in important contributions. 

" It is a most fortunate circumstance that we do not have to 
wait to find the ways and means for extending help on occasions 
like the present. Our people are not only willing, but they are 
ready. The machinery for collecting and distribuiing aid can be 
set in motien on the instant, and we know by experience how 
effective is the work it can be trusted to accomplish. It is abso- 
lutely certain that every dollar contributed will be used by the 
Permanent Relief Committee to do the utmost work in the best 
possible way. The impulse to give which will stir the heart of 
every humane person in the community will be made, through 
the means established, to serve its purpose in conferring the 
greatest good upon the greatest number." 



CHAPTER VI. 

Two Thousand Persons Killed in St. Vincent. — Great 
Alarm as to the Fate of the Island. — Awful Sudden- 
ness of the Calamity at St. Pierre. — Graphic Stories 
Told by Witnesses of the Deadly Explosion. 

CONDITIONS on the British Island of St. Vincent were 
reported on May 13th to be more serious. The following 
despatch furnished important information : 

" United States Goverment tug Potomac leaves here to-night 
for the Island of St. Vincent, where conditions are reported to be 
worse. LaSoufriere, on St. Vincent, was in full eruption May 10. 
A stream of stone and mud half a mile wide was then issuing from 
the volcano. Stones two inches in diameter fell twelve miles away. 
At Kingstown, the capital of the island, the ashes were two inches 
deep. Seven hundred dead were reported Sunday, May 11. It is 
estimated that the total number of deaths at St. Vincent reaches 
two thousand. Most of the victims are said to be Carib Indians. 
Seven estates on the island have been burned to ashes, and it is 
authentically reported that two earthquakes occurred there. It is 
believed the submarine cables in St. Vincent have been broken by 
the disturbances. The present volcanic eruption on St. Vincent 
is the first since 18 12. 

"Great alarm continues to be felt at St. Thomas regarding 
the fate of St. Vincent. Communication has been cut off since 
Sunday, the nth. At that time the Soufriere was in furious erup- 
tion. Kingstown, on the opposite end of the island, was being 
bombarded, stones and ashes falling in an unceasing shower. The 
northern part of St. Vincent had been utterly destroyed. Before 
Sunday morning the deaths numbered 1600, and it is feared that 
this estimate is far too small. 

"Much excitement was caused by a slight shock of earth- 
quake, which was felt about 4.30 on the afternoon of May 13th. 
The public was greatly excited, and many rushed out of their 

157 



158 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

houses, but the tremors of the earth stopped before auy actual 
damage was done." 

" I have just returned from the ruins of St. Pierre," writes a 
correspondent, " unable longer to withstand the terrible hardships 
and encounter the horrible sights that were with me ever}/ minute 
of the twenty-four hours of my stay there. When I reached St. 
Pierre I was surprised that more of the dead were not in sight. 
Not more than a thousand bodies were strewn along the streets, 
the others being at least partly buried under the mantle of ashes 
and cinders spread by Mont Pelee. 

"Every moment of my stay in St. Pierre I feared that the 
volcano would again belch forth its billows of death-dealing fire. 
It continues active, vomiting lava in streams, which flows down 
its sides, changing the surface of the northern end of the island 
every hour. It is the stench and the danger of pestilence that 
makes St. Pierre a place of even greater horror than was caused 
by the first result of the explosion of Mont Pelee. 

BODIES BURIED BY SOLDIERS. 

u All of the bodies first found on the surface have been buried 
by soldiers, but few of those in the ruins have been dug out. It 
will require mouths, unless a greater force of men is employed, 
before the dead are properly disposed of. The sand and ashes 
that cover the city are still hot. Waves of heat come down from 
the crater of the volcano, making work among the ruins difficult, 
when it is not absolutely impossible. 

" Reports that all of the inhabitants of the village of Le 
Precheur had been brought to this city are not true. A great 
wave of lava swept across one portion of the village, destroy- 
ing the lives of about 800 inhabitants. The others fled to 
the seashore, and were rescued by the French cruiser Suchet. 
Other villages at the foot of Mont Pelee were destroyed by 
the lava, which flowed along the courses formerly followed by the 
rivers. 

" Indignation against Governor Mouttet grows as the panic 
of the survivors subsides. It is remembered that while Mont 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 159 

Pelee was threatening and giving warning of the disaster it was 
about to work, the Governor refused to permit any general exodus 
from St. Pierre. Some food has been brought here from the 
neighboring islands, but famine still continues to threaten the 
refugees. All are on half rations, and, when it is remembered 
that pestilence is an immediate menace, it can be understood why 
there should be plenty of food to give those who may be attacked 
strength to fight the disease. 

SOLDIERS GUARDING THE DEAD. 

" Vandalism has already begun at St. Pierre, and although 
soldiers are trying to guard the dead, looting is going on in a 
shameful manner. Announcement will soon be made providing 
severe penalties for all who are caught stealing in the island. 
The Potomac, a United States Government tug, sent from San 
Juan, Porto Rico, which arrived here to-day, brought in five 
negroes and one white man who had been picked up in a small 
boat off St. Pierre. All 'of these men were loaded down with 
jewelry, which had been taken from the bodies in St. Pierre. 
They have been turned over to the French authorities for punish- 
ment. 

"The Potomac brought a ton of supplies to Martinique, con- 
sisting in part of codfish and flour. While off St. Pierre the 
Potomac encountered a column of thick smoke, through which she 
could not pass. The tug was compelled to go five miles out of 
her course to escape the ashes that were falling in clouds. 

"In the harbor of St. Pierre a steamship is in constant readi- 
ness to take away the workers if Mont Pelee becomes more threat- 
ening. A watch is constantly maintained ready to give warning, 
and if the lava turns in the direction of St. Pierre the place will 
be immediately deserted. Aside from those working in the ruins 
there is not a human being in the northern part of the island. 
All who have not been killed have fled to Fort-de-France." 

The Transatlantic steamer Canada arrived at Port of Spain, 
Trinidad, with 138 refugees, twenty hours from Fort-de-France, 
Martinique. She brings this account of an event preceding the 



160 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

disaster at St. Pierre, and also of the catastrophe itself as told by 

eye witnesses, who were on the schooner Gabrielle : 

" A scientific commission, presided over by the Governor, M. 

Monttet, assembled in St. Pierre on May 7, the day before the 

calamity, for the purpose of studying the phenomena of the volcanic 

disturbances of Mont Pelee. It was agreed by the members of 

this commission that the relative position of the craters and the 

valleys debouching on the sea were such that the scientists could 

affirm that the security of St. Pierre was complete, and this 

announcement was made to allay the fears of the frightened 

citizens 

GREAT COLUMN OF STEAM. 

"The sun rose clear over St. Pierre at 6 o'clock on the morn- 
ing of May 8th. Mont Pelee was smoking to the north, and the 
wind was blowing westward. A few minutes before 7 o'clock a 
great white column of what seemed to be steam and gas belch ed 
forth from an apparently new crater on Mont Pelee, which 
seemed to be about 200 yards from the original crater, and which 
appeared to open up a deep rent from the top to the bottom of 
the mountain. The outbreak caused the utmost consternation 
and panic among the inhabitants of St. Pierre, who fled toward 
the seashore, uttering frightful screams, in anticipation, evidently, 
of what was to follow. 

"Those on the Gabrielle observed a small steam yacht leave 
St. Pierre at ten minutes after 7 o'clock, with the Governor and 
members of a scientific commission on board. The yacht steamed 
toward Le Precheur. A terrible groaning was heard from the 
volcano, about ten minutes before 8 o'clock, and a moment later 
a gigantic mass of thick, impenetrable black smoke poured out 
of the crater and fell with frightful rapidity upon the city. In a 
very short time the whole city was a mass of ruins. 

"The waters of the harbor were violently agitated and every- 
where was heard the sound of falling masts of the shipping, and 
vessels were seen to overturn and sink or burst into flames. The 
cries of the doomed beings on shore and afloat lasted only a few 
moments, when the stillness of death fell upon the city and the 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 161 

harbor. Only three vessels of all the shipping in the harbor had 
withstood the terrible convulsions of nature. These were the 
little schooner Gabrielle, the Korona and the North American. 

" One of the survivors who was brought here says he sprang 
overboard, and despite injuries received from the falling lava and 
ashes succeeded, by diving and swimming for two hours, in sus- 
taining himself until he was picked up by the French warship 
Suchet. 

"Although the volcano's flow had apparently diminished 
somewhat when the Suchet left, great blocks of lava were still 
being vomited forth from the crater. Nothing remained of the 
city of St, Pierre except vast heaps of smoking ruins, resembling 
a great furnace. Here and there in open space large numbers of 
partly burned and asphyxiated bodies could be seen lying on the 
ground. An expedition carrying relief supplies left Trinidad for 
Martinique on May ioth, and is expected to return within the 
next twenty-four hours. 

RESIDENTS PREVENTED FROM LEAVING. 

"The Governor, thinking all danger over after the eruption 
of lava to a height of 120 feet on May 5, formed a cordon of sol- 
diers around the city to prevent residents from leaving. To 
further allay excitement the Governor took up his residence with 
several scientists in St. Pierre. It will take thousands to dig out 
and bury the dead. The smell of burning flesh is perceptible 
three miles from shore. The Roraima was still burning yester- 
day, and the ruins of the city will burn for weeks longer. Food 
for the survivors has been sent from St. Thomas and Barbados 
for 12,000 refugees, who are in outlying villages. 

" As a result of the measures taken by the authorities, access 
to St. Pierre is now easier. The ruins of the town have ceased 
smokino-. Two thousand corpses have been found in a carbonized 
condition. It has been learned that the rain of fire ceased at a 
distance of 200 yards from the village of La Carbet. 

"Talk with survivors of the disaster confirms previous state- 
ments as to the awful suddenness of the catastrophe. It is thought 

1 i-MAR 



162 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

that an enormous quantity of gas was liberated, producing great 
atmospheric pressure, which overwhelmed everything before it. 
The gases absorbed by the bodies of the victims caused them to 
burst, and the fire coming afterwards carbonized them. This was 
followed by a rain of stones, which enveloped the town, but there 
was not, as has been said, any flow of incandescent lava. A gar- 
dener at the village of Morne Rouge, saw, at the moment of the 
disaster, seven luminous points on Mont Pelee. He says he had 
the impression of being violently drawn towards the volcano by a 
powerful current of air. Then the mountain opened, according to 
the description of the gardener, and flung tornadoes of fire at 

St. Pierre. 

BUSINESS IN THE TOWN SUSPENDED. 

" Business at Fort-de-France is suspended. The people of the 
city have assembled in the churches, and the cathedral, where 
special services are being held for the St. Pierre dead, has been 
thronged since daylight. 

" A famine here is imminent. The northern section of the 
island is depopulated. Provisions are needed here immediately 
for 100,000 people. A ship load of lime is also needed at St. Pierre 
for sanitary purposes. The stench there from the dead bodies is 
overpowering. Governor Hunt, of Porto Rico, has asked Louis 
H. Ayme, the United States Consul at Gaudeloupe, who is now 
here, what assistance he could render. Governor Hunt's offer has 
been communicated to the Government which will gladly accept it. 

" Great praise is given United States Consul Ayme. He has 
worked indefatigably to succor the survivors. He has bandaged 
the limbs of the wounded and has worked without sleep and 
without food. He is now thoroughly exhausted. Forty persons 
rescued from the city are now in hospitals here. In addition to 
the specie already secured, jewels to the value of 1,000,000 francs 
were rescued from the Bank of St. Pierre yesterday. The Italian 
consul at Barbados has recovered the body of his daughter, who 
was visiting in St. Pierre at the time of the disaster. 

" The French cruiser Suchet is here, and the city of Fort-de- 
France is quiet. It was reported here yesterday from the British 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 163 

Island of Dominica that 300 survivors of the St. Pierre disaster 
had reached there in canoes. 

" Strange to relate, in view of the nnmber of inhabitants of 
St. Pierre who were swept to death by the volcanic waves from Mont 
Pelee, on Thursday last, very few corpses have been found by those 
who are engaged in the work of cremating the dead bodies. This is 
due to the fact that the most populous quarters of the town are 
buried under a thick layer of cindered lava, which apparently 
entirely consumed the bodies of the victims. 

" Many strange and incomprehensible incidents are recounted 
of St. Pierre. The charred remains of a woman with a silk hand- 
kerchief, unburned and in perfect condition, held to her lips have 
been found there. The crisped bodies of young girls have been 
found, but the shoes they wore were unhurt. The path of the 
volcanic torrent which swept over St. Pierre is marked out in a 
strange manner. The vicinity of the shore, where the vessels 
anchored, was swept by a whirlwind of volcanic gas, which ripped, 
tore and shattered everything in its passage, but left few traces 
of cinders behind. On the other hand, the fort centre and 
adjoining parts of St. Pierre are buried under a thick bed of 
cinders which consumed everything beneath it. 

SUCCORING THE REFUGEES. 

"The work of succoring the refugees continues incessantly. 
When the cable repair ship Pouyer Quertier, Captain Thieron, 
started on her mission of mercy she had to pass through clouds 
of burning cinders, at the risk of catching fire, in order to reach 
the terror stricken people ashore. But, as already announced, 
she succeeded in bringing to this port 456 people, mainly former 
residents of the village of Le Precheur. This was on Saturday 
last. Since then the steamer, as the result of other daring trips, 
has succeeded in bringing many other persons to Fort-de-France. 
On Sunday, the nth, she rescued 923 persons and piloted the 
French cruiser Suchet and the Danish cruiser Valkyrien, who 
took on board 1500 persons. The Valkyrien, having done every- 
thing possible in the efforts being made to succor the refugees, 



164 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

left this port to-day. The German cruiser Falke has just arrived 
here. 

" The Pouyer Quertier has distributed to the sufferers large 
quantities of biscuits, milk, wine and cheese. The specie found 
in the vaults of the Bank of Martinique at St. Pierre, amounting 
to 2,000,000 francs, has been brought safely here. The specie in 
the public treasury at St. Pierre is still buried under a layer of 
lava about six to eight yards thick. 

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF THE SURVIVORS. 

"Public interest centres in the stories of the survivors and 
in the efforts being made to succor the refugees. A woman 
named Laurent, who was employed as a servant at St. Pierre in 
the household of M. Gabriel, and who was among those taken to 
the hospital in this city, in describing her experiences said that 
on the day of the terrible disaster she heard a loud report, and 
thereupon fainted. When she regained her senses, a few hours 
later, she was horribly burned, and, glancing around, she saw two 
members of the Gabriel family still alive, but they died before 
assistance could reach them. 

" Mile. Laurent, although she lived for some time after being 
taken to the hospital and was conscious while under the care of 
the physicians, died without being able to impart any additional 
information concerning the catastrophe. 

" Margaret Stokes, the nine-year old daughter of the late 
Clement Stokes, of New York, who with her mother, a brother aged 
four, and a sister aged three years, was on the ill-fated British 
steamer Roraima, is in the hospital here. The child is not 
expected to live. Her nurse, Clara King, tells the following story 
of her experience : 

" ' She says she was in her stateroom when the steward of 
the Roraima called out to her, " Look at Mont Pelee." 

"'She went on deck and saw a vast mass of black cloud 
coming down from the volcano. The steward ordered her to return 
to the saloon, saying, " It is coming." Miss King then rushed to 
the saloon. She says she experienced a feeling of suffocation, 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 165 

which was followed by intense heat. The afterpart of the 
Roraima broke out in flames. Ben Benson, the carpenter of the 
Roraima, who is in the hospital here, severely burned, assisted 
Miss King and Margaret Stokes to escape. With the help of Mr. 
Scott, the first mate of the Roraima, he constructed a raft with 
life preservers. Upon this Miss King and Margaret were placed 

" ' While this was being done Margaret's little brother died. 
Mate Scott brought the child water at great personal danger, but 
it was unavailing. Shortly after the death of the little boy Mrs. 
Stokes succumbed.' Margaret and Miss King eventually got away 
on the raft, and were picked up by the steamer Korona. Mate 
Scott also escaped. Miss King did not sustain serious injuries. 
She covered the face of Margaret with her dress, but still the child 
was probably fatally burned. 

" The only woman known to have survived the disaster at St. 
Pierre was a negress named Fillotte. She was found in a cellar, 
where she had been for three days. She was still alive, but fear- 
fully burned from head to toes. She died in the hospital. 

PITIABLE CONDITION OF RORAIMA SURVIVORS. 

"All the survivors of the St. Pierre disaster continue to be 
greatly broken by the terrible experience through which they had 
passed. First officer Scott, Assistant Purser Thomas and Cooper 
Taylor are still in a pitiable condition. Scott, who lost a son who 
was about to enter college, cannot take his mind from the scenes 
of last Thursday. He was the last to leave the dead-strewn deck 
of the Roraima, which was then burning itself out. All three 
men speak in the highest terms of Captain Pierre L,ebris of the 
French cruiser Suchet, whose kindness to the survivors endeared 
him to them." 

The Martinique calamity was the subject of discussion at the 
Cabinet meeting in Washington May 13th. The prompt and 
effective response of the supply departments of the army, and the 
readiness with which the navy responded to the demands made 
upon it, were very gratifying. The fact that the Commissary 
Department was able to expend the allotment of money assigned 



166 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

to it, and to collect the stores purchased and make them ready for 
transportation, and the equal readiness of the Quartermaster's 
Department and that of the Surgeon General to perform the duties 
assigned them, showed the efficiency and thoroughness of organ- 
ization of the supply service of the army. 

The plans of both War and Navy Departments were so com- 
prehensive and carried out with such promptness and intelligence 
that even before the passage of the joint resolution authorizing 
the expenditure of $200,000 the entire amount had been prac- 
tically expended the greater portion of the materials assembled 
for instant delivery to those in charge of the sea transportation. 

The large collection of military stores of every description on 
hand was of invaluable assistance in this emergency. The extent 
of the work done in so short a time will be better understood when 
it is known that the Commissary Department, acting upon advices 
from the stricken islands, proceeded to assemble rations sufficient 
to supply 40,000 people for a period of fourteen days. 

$500,000 FOR RELIEF. 

The latest despatches received from the West Indies indicated 
that the extent of the disaster was even greater than was at first 
reported, and that the condition of the survivors was such that 
immediate relief was imperative. Thousands would perish for 
lack of subsistence unless relief reached them in the shortest 
possible time, and, the United States being the nearest source 
from which substantial and efficient relief could be obtained, the 
President and the Cabinet became convinced that the liberal 
appropriation of $200,000 already made would not be sufficient to 
meet the emergency, and that a further appropriation of $300,000 
would be required. 

This conclusion was communicated to a number of Senators 
and Representatives, with the result that the Senate early in the 
afternoon promptly responded and voted an additional $300,000. 
It was also decided at the Cabinet meeting that an appeal should 
be made to the country, especially as telegraphic inquiries had 
come to the State Department from individuals and municipalities 



CRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 167 

asking how contributions might be made for the relief of the 
stricken people of the islands. This was met by the preparation 
of an appeal from the President and the selection of well known 
individuals at various points throughout the country to receive 
and forward subscriptions in money and contributions in supplies 
of food and clothing. 

AN APPEAL TO THE COUNTRY. 

Following is the appeal issued immediately following the 
Cabinet meeting : 

The President has appointed a committee to receive funds for 
the relief of the sufferers from the recent catastrophe in Mar- 
tinique and St. Vincent. The gentlemen appointed from each 
city are asked to collect and receive the funds from their locali- 
ties and neighborhoods as expeditiously as possible and forward 
them to Mr. Cornelius N. Bliss, Treasurer of the New York com- 
mittee, which committee will act as central distributing point for 
the country. 

The President directs all the postmasters throughout the 
country, and requests the presidents of all the national banks, to 
act as agents for the collection of contributions, and to forward 
the same at once to Mr. Bliss, at New York. The postmasters 
are also directed to report to the Postmaster-General, within ten 
days, any funds collected on this account. 

The President appeals to the public to contribute generously 
for the relief of those upon whom this appalling calamity has 
fallen, and asks that the contributions be sent in as speedily as 
possible. The gentlemen designated on the several committees 
are requested to act at once. The following are the committees : 

New York — CorneliusN. Bliss, Treasurer ; Morris K. Jesup, 
John Claflin, Jacob H. Schiff, William R. Corwine. 

Boston — Augustus Hemenway, Dr. Henry S. Pritchett, 
Henry Lee Livingston. 

Philadelphia — Charles Bmory Smith, Provost Charles C. 
Harrison, Joseph G. Darlington, Clement M. Griscom, John H. 
Converse. 



168 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

Baltimore — James A. Gary. 

Washington — Charles C. Glover. 

Pittsbnrg — A. J. Logan, H. C. Frick. 

Buffalo— John G. Milbnrn, Carlton Sprague. 

Cleveland— Myron T. Herrick, Samuel Mather. 

Cincinnati — Jacob G. Schmidlapp, Briggs S. Cunningham. 

Chicago— J. J. Mitchell, Marvin Hughitt, Marshall Field, 
Graeme Stewart. 

Milwaukee — F. G. Bigelow, Charles F. Pfister, Fred Pabst. 

Minneapolis — -Thomas Lowry, J. J. Sbevlin. 

St. Paul — Kenneth Clark, Theodore Schurmeier. 

Detroit — Don M. Dickinson. 

St. Louis — Charles Parsons, Adolph Busch, Robert S. Book- 
ings. 

Louisville — Thomas Bullitt. 

Atlanta — Robert J. Lowry. 

Kansas City — W. B. Clark, Charles Campbell. 

Omaha — John C. Wharton, Victor B. Caldwell. 

Denver— D. H. Moffatt. 

San Francisco — Mayor Schmitz, George A. Newhall, A. 
Sbardoro, Robert J. Tobin, Henry T. Scott, A. A. Watkins. 

New Orleans — Hon. Paul Capedeville, I. L. Lyons, S. T. 
Walmsley. 

EXTENDING IMMEDIATE RELIEF. 

This appeal was supplemented by a statement from a repre- 
sentative of the newspaper press : 

"The commanding officer of the military forces in Porto 
Rico was informed by cable of what had been done for extending 
immediate relief, and directed to send to Martinique all the sub- 
sistence stores and clothing that could be spared, and to use every 
effort to assist in the work of relief. The collier Sterling is at 
San Juan about ready to sail, and the stores will be carried by 
that vessel to St. Pierre or such other points in the afflicted district 
as may be found necessary to reach the sufferers. Admiral Brad- 
ford, of the Bureau of Equipment, is prepared to send vessels 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 169 

carrying fresh water to Martinique to relieve the pressing need. 

" Tenders fitted for carrying fresh water are now at Norfolk 
and Pensacola, and have been instructed to hold themselves in 
readiness for sailing. Admiral Bradford has also tendered the 
use of the vessels employed in carrying coal for the navy. There 
is quite a fleet of vessels of this class, and several of them can be 
:made immediately available for carrying supplies to Martinique 
and taking off the sufferers from the island. 

" In addition to the Sterling now at Porto Rico, loading for 
Martinique, the Lebanon is at Cienfnegos, about three days' run 
from Martinique. The Leonidas is at Port Royal, S. C, discharg- 
ing coal. The Hannibal is at Lambert's Point, near Norfolk, 
with a load of coal, ready for sea. The Marcellus is at Norfolk in 
condition to be placed in commission within a few hours after 
receiving orders. Each of these ships can carry from 2000 to 
3000 tons of supplies. 

SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS. 

" A number of scientists will sail on the Dixie for the purpose 
of making inquiries into the volcanic disturbances. Professor 
Robert Hill left here this afternoon for New York. Professor 
Hill has been a frequent visitor to Martinique, and is well 
acquainted with the geological nature of the country. He will 
be accompanied by C. S. Borchgrevinck, a recognized authority 
on seismology and volcanoes, having given particular attention 
to the volcanoes of Erebus and Terror, on the Antartic Continent, 
south of New Zealand. It is probable that Professor Alexander 
Graham Bell will also be of the party. Professor Hill will repre- 
sent the Geological Survey, and at the same time will be a repre- 
sentative of the National Geographical Society. 

"Captain Southerland, Chief of the Hydrographic Bureau of 
the navy, is planning to undertake immediately, with the ap- 
proval of Admiral Bradford, a series of hydrographic surveys. 
If the current reports as to the tremendous subsidence of the sea 
bottom near the Antilles are accurate, then there have undoubt- 
edly been corresponding upheavals of the bottom in other sections 



170 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

which have created great menaces to navigation through the fact 
that they are not yet chartered. 

" Captain Southerland points to a curious fact, namely, that 
a year ago there was what might be regarded as a premonitory 
sign of the tremendous disturbance which has just taken place 
in the earth's crust. The 'Notice to Mariners,' of June 8, one 
year ago, contains the following note : 

" ' Captain J. Thomas, of the schooner Kate, reports that 
May 5, about thirty-two miles eastward from the south point of 
Martinique, the sea rose with great fury, breaking as if on rocks. 
This continued for about four hours ; then the sea became quite 
smooth again. The schooner labored very heavily, sustaining 
slight damage, and was uncontrollable during the phenomenon, 
the light airs from the southeast not giving her steerage way. 
No current was observed. The weather was fair.' " 

APPEAL OF THE RED CROSS. 

General John R. Wilson, of the Red Cross Society, was 
directed at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Associa- 
tion in Washington to issue the following public appeal for aid 
for the sufferers from the Martinique disaster : 

"The American National Red Cross appeals to the people of 
the United States to send money and supplies in aid of the 
sufferers at Martinique and St. Vincent. The unparalleled calam- 
ity needs no words of ours to cause you to offer aid. Money and 
supplies can be sent to the Hon. Cornelius Bliss, of New York 
city, or money may be sent to W. J. Flather, the treasurer of the 
National Red Cross Association, at Riggs Bank, Washington, 

D. C. 

"All such contributions, whether in money or supplies, in- 
tended for the Red Cross, should be so marked. 

"JOHN M. WILSON." 

This action followed a meeting of the Executive Committee 
at the State Department and subsequently a meeting of the dele- 
gation with the Secretary of War, to ascertain what way the Red 
Cross could aid the Government in its work of relief. The Presi- 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 171 

dent expressed himself as pleased with the action of the Associa- 
tion, and said he would be glad to have the Red Cross issue an 
appeal to the country, and to have such other co-operation as the 
Association might deem best to give. The Secretary of War also 
expressed himself in the same vein. 

Miss Clara Barton, the President of the Red Cross, was on 
the way to St. Petersburg as a delegate from the United States to 
the Red Cross Convention there. 

NEW YORK RELIEF ON AMPLE SCALE. 

President Morris K. Jesup, of the Chamber of Commerce, 
held a conference in the afternoon of May 14th at the Chamber 
with Edmond Bruwaert, the French Consul General ; H. O. De 
Medeuil, of the American Trading Company ; A. E. Outerbridge, 
the New York agent of the Quebec Steamship Line ; Henry Hentz 
and others interested in the trade with Martinique. After the 
conference, Mr. Jesup announced that he had made arrangements 
to ship by the steamship Fontabelle, of the Quebec Line, which 
was to sail on Saturday, the 17th, supplies best adapted to the 
immediate needs of the survivors, the quantity to amount to the 
equivalent of the space of 1000 barrels. This precaution was 
taken, Mr. Jesup said, so that in case there should be any delay 
in the sailing of the Dixie, or in a case of any accident to the 
vessel, the inhabitants of Martinique would be cared for as speedily 
as possible. 

This action, together with that taken in ordering the purchase 
of the supplies aboard the steamship Madiana, on the arrival of 
that ship at Fort-de-France to-morrow, Mr. Jesup said he thought 
would go far towards providing for the immediate necessities of 
the people who survived the eruption. 

The Fontabelle, in addition to taking 1000 barrels of supplies 
from the Chamber of Commerce when it sailed Saturday, would 
take quantities of stores from private firms who have interests in 
Martinique, and who were arranging to send supplies for distribu- 
tion on the island. 

The. munificent appropriation of the United States Congress 



172 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

for the relief of the sufferers from the Martinique disaster, Presi- 
dent Roosevelt's message recommending a vote of half a million 
of dollars for that purpose, and the action of the United States 
Government in despatching war vessels and food supplies to Mar- 
tinique, etc., were referred to in the House of Commons, London, 
by John Dillon, Irish Nationalist, who asked the government leader, 
A. J. Balfour, whether, in view of the action of the United States 
and the fact that a British colony had suffered so greatly, Great 
Britain intended to adopt similar relief measures. He was sure, he 
said, that a vote in this connection would be carried unanimously. 
Mr. Balfour said that the matter had been under the consid- 
eration of the Cabinet. He had never heard of a vote of such 
character being suggested in Parliament. Of course, he said, 
everybody felt the extraordinary gravity of the situation and the 
tremendous suffering caused by the appalling calamity. Every 
assistance that could be given locally by the government would 

be given. 

"FRANCE WILL NEVER FORGET." 

Many American firms and individual Americans subscribed 
to the Martinique fund in Paris 10,000 francs ($20,000). 

The " Temps " in an editorial referring to the action of the 
American Congress in appropriating $200,000 for the relief of the 
Martinique sufferers, said : " This manifestation of American 
sympathy on the eve of the Rochambeau fetes tends to draw tighter 
the already close ties uniting the two Republics and constitutes a 
guarantee of peace and of the fraternity of the two nations. 
France will never forget the spontaneous initiative of President 
Roosevelt, or the significant generosity of the Congress." 

The Government of the Netherlands ordered the Dutch war- 
ships, Konigin Regentes to proceed from the island of Curacao to 
Martinique at full speed, in order to assist the sufferers from the 
eruption. Both Chambers of the States General have passed 
resolutions expressing sympathy with France. 

King Victor Emmanuel contributed 25,000 lire ($5,000) to 
the fund being raised for the relief of the sufferers from the 
Martinique disaster. 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 173 

Shocked by the news of the disaster at Martinique, which 
had destroyed his residences, warehouses and stores in St. Pierre, 
James H. Hamlen, an aged merchant of Portland, Maine, sat 
silent and amazed on the pier, after leaving the Kaiser Wilhelm 
der Grosse in New York, in which he had arrived from Europe. 
Accompanied by his daughter, Mr. Hamlen left Martinique on 
March 28 because of Miss Hamlen's ill health and the prevalence 
of fever. 

" We had a home in St. Pierre and another in Morne Rouge, 
nearer the mountain," said Miss Hamlen. " These were filled 
with valuable curios and mementoes of the islands, which money 
cannot replace. All these and my father's places of business are 
swept away. The loss to us will reach $100,000. We had many 
friends among the white people there, including the American 
and English Consuls. We usually remained on the island until 
the middle of May. My illness proved our salvation." 

OVERCOME BY THE TERRIBLE NEWS. 

Mr. Hamlen was so overcome by the news that he could not 
talk. The father and daughter went at once to Portland, Maine, 
where a bark bearing the merchant's name was taking on her 
usual cargo for the island. 

The situation was summed up by a leading journal as follows: 

"Despatches from Martinique are beginning to give more 
attention to the living than to the dead, and have become more 
urgent in their calls for food supplies for refugees. St. Pierre 
was the storehouse for the entire island, and all of its supplies 
have been destroyed or buried under lava. In addition a large 
tract of country has been laid waste by ashes, thus depriving the 
surviving inhabitants of vegetable and meat supplies, for the 
cattle are reported to be dying of starvation. 

"Nearly a week has elapsed since the great eruption, and 
another week must pass before vessels from New York or Europe 
can get to Martinique with supplies. The other islands of the 
West Indies, however, have surplus food that could be sent to 
Martinique in a day or two, and thus afford relief until the arrival 



174 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

of the larger supply ships sent from American and European 
ports. To utilize the supplies that are near at hand, however, 
money is needed, and, fortunately, money can be sent by cable to 
Porto Rico and other West Indian islands. 

"The Dixie will carry supplies sufficient to maintain 50,000 
people for several days. The arrival of the Dixie will put an end 
to all danger of famine in the regions that can be reached by 
distributing agents, for before her supplies have been exhausted 
other vessels will be sent out. The weak point in the relief ser- 
vice is the distance, but several vessels are on the way to Mar- 
tinique, among them, it is reported, the collier Sterling from 
Porto Rico, with navy stores on board. 

" The streams on the island have been so polluted that fresh 
water, as well as food, is needed, and two barges carrying sup- 
plies of water are about to start from Key West and Norfolk. 
The prompt action of President Roosevelt in getting ready to 
ship supplies while Congress was preparing to pass an appropria- 
tion has saved forty-eight hours, but there should be no relaxing 
of effort to get supplies to the people until all danger of famine 
or plague has been removed. 

GREAT TAX ON PUBLIC CHARITY. 

" Then the work can proceed in a more leisurely and orderly 
way. The probabilities are that the world at large will be called 
upon to support 50,000 people for at least six months, and that is 
no small task. But we need not concern ourselves at present with 
the magnitude of the undertaking. The important thing is to 
get the relief work started, and that can be done as soon as there 
is money in hand. The United States Government will send an 
abundance of supplies available possibly a week hence ; but pri- 
vate contributions will probably yield immediate results. The 
Senate adopted a resolution appropriating $500,000 for the volcanic 
sufferers, which includes the $200,000 already appropriated." 

Merchants and ship captains who know the Windward 
Islands cannot conceive of the gay little port of St. Pierre de 
Martinique covered with ashes and lava, says the New York 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 175 

Post. As do all the colonial capitals of the French, St. Pierre 
followed as closely as the steamers and mails would permit the 
customs and fashions of Paris. At the Hotel des Bains, at the 
"absinthe hour," one might always find a gathering of young 
men of the town, who sat sipping their liqueurs and chatting 
gaily. 

Where St. Pierre was the coast line curves inland like a 
slightly bent bow. Describing it, one of the shopkeepers on the 
Rue de Victor Hugo used to say that the town was situated on 
a bay shaped like a dilemma, with a volcano on one horn and a 
tropical jungle on the other. He had got the phrase from an 
English correspondent, who had wondered what the inhabitants 
would do if such a calamity as the present one ever occurred. 
The Englishman had noted the lack of roads leading from the 
town and the futility of any hope of escape. 

SITUATION OF THE TOWN. 

The town was built on the flat, narrow foreshore, that lay 
between the foot of the steep wooded mountains and the sea. The 
houses and shops were built down to the water's edge, and clustered 
in irregular groups about the Cathedral, which was situated 
directly opposite where the ships lay in the roadstead, and was the 
prominent architectural feature of the town. It was built of 
a whitish stone, and with its two towers, in which bells were hung, 
was sharply accentuated against the green background of the 
mountains. 

The water front of the town extended for nearly two miles 
along the gently curving coast. All the space back to the hills 
that shut in the town was filled with the low white houses of the 
people. Some twenty or twenty-five streets ran down from the 
hills to the water front. These were cut by irregular cross streets. 

The Rue de Victor Hugo was the principal thoroughfare. 
All of the best shops were located on it, and it served as a parade 
for the fashionables when they made their appearance in the cool 
of the evening, arrayed in the white ducks, Panama hats and 
low cut patent leather shoes, and the women either in the year 



176 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

old fashions of Paris or in the striking, gaily colored native 
garb. 

The Cathedral, the Opera House (where traveling companies 
played before enthusiastic audiences), the Hotel des Bains and 
the banks were probably the largest and best built buildings in 
the town. French was the common language, and nearly all of 
the white people were of French extraction. It was a lively little 
place, and its people had some of the light spirit and gaiety of 
their Gaelic kinsmen. 

Always on coming into the harbor parties noted the apparent 
freshness and cleanliness of the place. The white houses, with 
their green blinds and tiled or thatched roofs, the gay striped 
awnings and vivid green of the background, made a cool, pleasant 
picture. Ashore, the bright costumes of the native girls, the 
movement of the street life and the strangeness of the new scenes 
was a source of constant interest to tourists. 

The upper or new town was the most attractive part of the 
place. The streets were broader and cleaner, and the buildings 
of a better quality. All of the streets were narrow, the principal 
one (the Rue de Victor Hugo) being scarcely wide enough to per- 
mit two carriages to pass abreast. 

PROUD OF THE VOLCANO. 

Through every street ran an open gutter of water from the 
hills, and early in the morning, just when the cool dawn wind 
was coming down from the mountains, these gutters would be 
alive with people. The native women would bring out their tall 
earthen jars, called "Welsh hats" by the resident Englishmen, 
to be filled with cool flowing water. Babies were brought out and 
allowed to disport themselves, while their mothers cleansed the 
household utensils. The streams being fed from mountain lakes, 
cleanliness in dress and habitation was common, even among the 
lowest classes. 

Back from St. Pierre, about eight miles on a winding moun- 
tain road, was a fashionable native resort, Morne Rouge. Here 
the rich residents had their country homes, and it is probable that 




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COPYR.GHT. 1898, EV ROUrv W wu'i. , N.Y. 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT 



GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 177 

when the flood of fire, lava and ashes came down from Mont Pelee 
these were among the first honses destroyed. In the season, which 
began about June i, there were usually 4000 or 5000 persons at 
Morne Rouge. Probably half that number had gone out this 
year to open their villas. 

The people of St. Pierre were rather proud of their volcano. 
Mont Pelee stood first as a "point of interest" for tourists. 
There has always been plenty of evidence that life was not extinct 
in Mont Pelee but the easy-going inhabitants believed the volcano 
was in its dotage, and its occasional weak mutterings only gave it 
added value as a show place ; the manifestations were never taken 
seriously. Not since the end of the eighteenth century and again 
in 185 1 had there been even weak eruptions. It is evident that 
during all the years the volcano has been gathering strength and 
that mighty forces have been at work. Despatches from St. 
Thomas on Saturday, May 3rd, announced that St. Pierre had 
been covered with ashes to the depth of one-quarter of an inch as 
the result of an outbreak on Mont Pelee. A second despatch 
said the overflow of lava had destroyed the big Guerin sugar fac- 
tories at the base of the mountain and near the northwest edge 
of St. Pierre. It is evident that these warnings of the disaster 
that was to come did not alarm the people of St. Pierre. 

NO CHANCE OF ESCAPE. 

When the head of Mt. Pelee blew off, the inhabitants of the 
town below had no chance of escape. The burning lava, the 
ashes and mud and the fire came down the hills as the water had 
been coming for hundreds of years, and the people below were 
caught as fish in a net. The only way was the sea, and that 
offered nothing but death by drowning. On the side of the town 
away from the volcano the tropical undergrowth came to within 
a few yards of the houses, and the beach ended at the city limits. 
There were no wharves or quays at St. Pierre, and really no 
harbor — dimply an open roadstead with deep water inshore. The 
island rises sheerly from the sea, and there was no anchorage until 
the ships got within 300 feet of the buildings onshore. Skippers of 
12-MAR 



178 GRAPHIC STORIES BY WITNESSES OF THE DISASTER. 

sailing vessels would take their ships close in and anchor with 
bows pointed seawards and with a stern line out to steady the 
craft. They had to be alert during the rainy or stormy season, 
because of their exposed condition, and be ready to slip anchors 
and run out to sea. 

According to despatches, this is what the British steamer 
Roddam did when the town was destroyed. Though she had a 
full head of steam on, seventeen of her crew were killed in running 
out, and the vessel was partially wrecked. The sailing craft in 
the harbor didn't have a ghost of a show to get away. There 
were usually from eighteen to twenty-five vessels in the harbor 
at this season of the year, anchored in a long line along the water 
front. 

What happened when the floods of fire and lava came down 
will be related later, but every one who knew the town and its 
people can easily imagine the scenes of wild horror that must 
have been enacted when the excitable people realized that escape 
was impossible. 

The chief exports of Martinique are sugar, rum and cocoa. 
Owing to the low price of sugar which has prevailed in recent 
months, the island has suffered very greatly. The island buys of 
the United States such articles as butter, oatmeal, tobacco, vege- 
tables, horses and mules, coal, harness, wagons, machinery, etc. 
The city of St. Pierre has alwas taken a large quantity of these 
goods. Most of the trading between New York exporters and St. 
Pierre was by means of direct orders. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Narratives of Personal Experiences. — Tourist Portrays 
Mont Pelee. — Stormy History of Martinique. — Graphic 
Letter from a Consul's Wife. — Great Disasters from 
Volcanic Eruptions. — Scenes in the Stricken Islands. 

ADDITIONAL horror is excited by every account furnished of 
the volcanic explosions, as will be seen from the following 
story of a correspondent's personal experiences : 

" Cable communication between the islands south of St. Lucia 
is interrupted, and the crater of Morne Soufriere, Island of St. Vin- 
cent, is in eruption. This could be seen from St. Lucia, twenty- 
one miles away, and in fact the flames were visible for forty miles. 
The government chartered the steamer Wear to go over and 
report. It left here at 6 o'clock on the evening of the 8th, just 
after the Roddam had returned from St. Pierre, Martinique. 

" Terrible flames were visible during the entire journey. At 
midnight it was seen that a volcano was in eruption apparently 
about four miles away. The Wear ran into heavy showers of gray 
ashes and the people on board were almost suffocated. 

"The atmosphere was so dense that we could see nothing. 
The steamer put about and steamed to the south for two hours 
before it was clear of the showers of ashes. At 3 o'clock in the 
morning the steamer put back towards the island and encountered 
more ashes, and was again compelled to put off. It arrived in 
Kingstown, the capital of St. Vincent, at about 5 o'clock in the 
morning. 

" It was seen then that the volcano was in constant eruption, 
and there was a tremendous roar. Forked lightning played inces- 
santly over the disturbed section. The flashes averaged from 
sixty to a hundred a minute. Kingstown, which is twelve miles 
from the volcano, was covered with three inches of ashes and 
showers of stones on Thursday. The bed of the old volcano was 
then a lake three miles across. The eruption was first observed 

179 



180 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 



15 



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20 



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on Monday. Huge volumes of water shot up, and the people in 

that district fled. There has been a continuous roar ever since. 

" The northern district from Chateau Belair to Georgetown 

has been completel}^ 
destroyed. It is im- 
possible to proceed 
beyond that point 
on account of the 
rivers of lava. A 
huge hill was ob- 
served where previ- 
ously there had been 
a valley. The whole 
of that part of the 
island is smoking. 
Sixty persons are 
said to have been 
killed by lightning 
while getting away. 
" On Tuesday 
and Wednesday the 
island was showered 
with ashes. Near 
Belair the ashes were 
three feet deep. On 
Thursday there was 
a continuous shower 
of hot sand and 



/s 



/s' 



ISLAND OF ST. VINCENT, SHOWING TOWNS AND VOLCANO OF 
MT. SOUFRIERE. 



water. Everything 
on the island was 



ruined by the ashes. Many persons were brought in boats from 
Kino-stown. Some of the refugees who arrived on the coast were 
dying of thirst. Some of these people had been thirty-six hours 
without a drop of water. All the cattle were dead because of the 
lack of water. There is little food in the coast villages. 

" On account of the scarcity of water and transport it is 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 181 

impossible at present to go into the interior and investigate the 
extent of the disaster. It is impossible to say jnst how many- 
people have perished, but the number will probably run into the 
hundreds. We left Kingstown at 8 o'clock in the morning with 
orders to tow a relief boat from Belair to Owia Carib. A quarter 
point off Barroulie we received a message from shore by boats 
that the passage was impassable. Nevertheless we proceeded on 

our voyage. 

RIVERS OF MOLTEN LAVA. 

" When opposite Belair there was a grand view of the west 
side of the crater. Rivers of lava were coming down the moun- 
tain sides in every direction and flowing into the sea. The huge 
crater was covered with smoke and there was an incessant erup- 
tion. Great quantities of ashes were blown in the air and were 
falling toward the sea, thus obscuring everything. A new lane 
was observed running out toward the sea for a half mile. It was 
probably lava which had been cooled by the sea water. It was of a 
brownish color. It was impossible to get close to the town. The 
sea was littered with trees and other wreckage. We attempted to 
proceed to St. Lucia through the falling muck of ashes, but found 
it impossible. It meant suffocation to try it. We returned and 
entered the belt again miles out at sea, but there was the same 
result. On the horizon there was nothing to be seen but falling 
ashes and other muck which were piled up like an enormous wall. 
Inside the belt all was dark. 

" We put back and steamed round the island to the windward. 
Opposite Georgetown we encountered a gale of wind carrying 
smoke and debris. To the north the entire territory of the dis- 
turbed district was clearly visible. Besides the large crater 
numerous small craters were in eruption. Many rivers of lava 
were flowing seaward, one of them half a mile wide. When we 
were close to Georgetown we passed to the windward along the 
coast toward St. Lucia, and saw no sign of life. It is believed 
that every person within the disturbed area perished. The 
refugees at Georgetown and Belair are in danger." 

The relative position of the sun and moon at an angle of 



182 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

forty-five degrees was said by Hugh Clements, the scientist, to 

have been the cause of the Mont Pelee eruption on the island of 

Martinique. Mr. Clements said that this relative position of the 

sun and the earth's satellite occurred at exactly ten minutes to 8 

o'clock on Thursday, May 8, the time when the eruption began. 

The immense force exerted on the earth by the tangential 

position of the two bodies acted fully upon Mont Pelee and its 

molten contents. Its force was great enough to cause the blowing 

up of the volcano's cap. The Galveston disaster, he points out, 

occurred when the sun and moon were in a similar position to each 

other. 

ERUPTION AS SEEN FROM THE NORTH. 

Monsieur Albert, proprietor of the Lagarrane estate, which is 
situated 1700 yards northeast of the crater of Pelee, arrived at 
Port of Spain, Trinidad, on the steamship Canada. In an inter- 
view he gave a graphic description of the eruption that over- 
whelmed St. Pierre and destroyed its inhabitants. 

About 8 o'clock on the morning of May 8 he was in a field on 
his estate, when he heard a most extraordinary noise — more extra- 
ordinary than those heard for several weeks past. It seemed like 
a hurricane coming toward him. Just previously the air had been 
very calm, although the sun was obscured by ashes and smoke. 
At the same moment that he heard the sound he felt a tremendous 
vortex of air, which he likened to an express train whirling past 
a station. 

Immediately he saw trees in a space 100 yards long and fifteen 
wide hurled to the ground by the unseen force. Then he saw a 
huge black cloud high in the air traveling rapidly toward St. Pierre. 
Lagarrane is twelve miles from the city. As the cloud traveled, 
he heard numerous explosions, as if whole fleets of warships were 
firing a tremendous bombardment. A spur of the hill prevented 
him seeing what happened at St. Pierre. 

He ran to the house for his family ; thence he rushed to the 
seashore, where he boarded a small steamer, and was landed safely 
at Fort-de-France. 

A detachment of troops, he reported, on Saturday, Ma} T 10th, 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 183 

went to St. Pierre and opened the bank vaults. They found bank 
notes and books uninjured. The soldiers said about 500 corpses 
were exposed to view, but they estimated between 30,000 and 
40,000 were buried in the ruins. M. Albert believed the cloud to 
have been a species of fire damp, fully a half mile wide. The 
large number of male whites that were killed is accounted for by 
the fact that when the volcano showed signs of activity numbers 
of the residents of St. Pierre sent there wives and families to Fort- 
de-France, remaing themselves to attend to their business 

occupations. 

LETTER TELLS OF ERUPTIONS. 

Thomas T. Prentis, United States Consul at St. Pierre, with 
his family, lived at Melrose, Mass., for six years. Their friends 
and relatives were distressed by the probable fate of Mr. Prentis, 
his wife, and two daughters, Misses Louise Lydia and Christine 
Hazel. Two adult sons, James A. and Thomas, were not with their 
parents. Miss Alice M. Frye, a sister of Mrs. Prentis, was in 
Melrose. She intended to go to St. Pierre a month ago, but 
deferred her visit. She received this letter from the Consul's wife : 

"My dear sister : This morning the whole population of the 
city is on the alert and every eye is directed toward Mount Pelee, 
an extinct volcano. Everybody is afraid that the volcano has 
taken it into its heart to burst forth and destroy the whole island. 

" For several days the mountain has been bursting forth and 
immense quantities of lava are flowing down the sides of the 
mountain. All the inhabitants are going up to see it. There is not 
a horse to be had on the island ; those belonging to the natives 
are kept in readiness to leave at a moment's notice. Last Wed- 
nesday, which was April 23, I was in my room with little Christine 
and we heard three distinct shocks. 

"The first report was quite loud, but the second and third 
were so great that dishes were thrown from the shelves and the 
house was completely rocked. We can see Mont Pelee from the 
rear windows of our house, and although it is fully four miles 
away we can hear the roar and see the fire and lava issuing from 
it with terrific force. 



184 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

" The city is covered with, ashes and clouds of smoke have 
been over our heads for the last five days. The smell of sulphur 
is so strong that horses on the street stop, snort, and some of them 
are obliged to give up, drop in their harness, and die from the suffoca- 
tion. Many of the people are obliged to wear wet handkerchiefs 
over their faces to protect them from the strong fumes of sulphur. 
My husband assures me that there is no immediate danger, and 
when there is the least particle of danger we will leave the place. 

" There is an American schooner, the R. J. Morse, in the 
harbor, and will remain here for at least two weeks. If the volcano 
becomes bad we shall embark at once and go out to sea." 

SON OF CONSUL GENERAL AT ST. PIERRE. 

The sequel appears in the following statement in a Chicago 
journal : 

"James E. Prentis, 517 Forty-fourth street, son of Thomas T. 
Prentis, United States Consul at St. Pierre, Martinique, fears that 
his father, mother and two sisters perished in the disaster which 
overwhelmed the city May 8. When Mr. Prentis was informed of 
the destruction of St. Pierre he was in his apartment reading a 
letter from his mother written under date of April 23. In this no 
mention was made of any volcanic disturbances in the neighbor- 
hood of the city. 

" The letter stated, however, that the Consul and his family 
had just moved into a frame residence in the heart of the city, 
where they would be most liable to danger from the eruption. Mr. 
Prentis feels that if there had been even an hour's warning of 
danger his mother and father would have left the city at once. 
Until a reporter called on him he had heard nothing of the catas- 
trophe at St. Pierre. 

" ' Mother writes me under dateof April 23dthat they have just 
moved into a new residence, a large frame house, the very worst 
kind to resist the burning lava,' said Mr. Prentis. ' Their resi- 
dence is situated in the centre of the city. The cable dispatcher 
there, who is also in charge of the local observatory, is a close 
friend of our family and always informs them of any chauge in 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 185 

atmospheric conditions. He must Have been able to know some- 
thing of the impending disaster in time to warn them. 

" ' I have never been in Martinique,' continued Mr. Prentis, 
'but I judge from what my family has written since going there 
that flight would not be easy from St. Pierre because of the moun- 
tainous surroundings. The only way to escape would really be to 
leave the island, and as I understand boats sail frequently, I trust 
that they got safely away ' 

"As late as April 23d no fear was felt in St. Pierre, for this 
letter says nothing of the matter. The mountain could not have 
been threatening them." 

There are four children in the Prentis family. Two daughters 
— May, aged 22 years, and Christine, aged 15 years — were with 
their parents in Martinique at the time of the disaster. One son 
-Thomas — is at Batavia, Java, as representative there of the 
Standard Oil Company. The other son is James B. Prentis. 
The latter came to Chicago from the Bast in March, 1901, soon 
after his family had sailed for St. Pierre. Until April he was 
with the Dominion Steamship Company. 

All the children were born in the Island of Mauritius and 
were educated there in a school conducted as a preparatory school 
for Oxford University. The son in Chicago spent most of his 
'teens in Europe, and came to the United States with his family 
when Consul Campbell relieved Consul Prentis at Mauritius. 

PROSTRATED BY THE NEWS. 

Mme. Louise Louit, a teacher of French in Stockton, Cal., 
was prostrated over the news of the terrible disaster at St. Pierre, 
Martinique, as her sister and family resided in that city. On 
learning of the volcanic eruptions she swooned and was afterward 
in a serious condition. Her sister, Mme. Gentile, and the latter's 
husband, two sons, George and Raoul, and two daughters, Alice 
and Anias, are believed to have been killed, as she said they lived 
in a part of the city where they would be exposed to the molten 
lava which flowed down the mountain side. Raoul Gentile was 
rated as one of the most brilliant lawyers and orators on the 



186 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

island, and held many prominent positions of trust. For two 
years lie had been one of the representatives from the island in 
the French Chamber of Deputies. 

E. S- Stone, of the Thomas E. Cook & Son Tourist Agency, 
was in St. Pierre in January, and recalled the threatening position 
of Mont Pelee, towering 4,200 feet high back of the city and 
surrounded on both sides by smaller peaks. 

"The eruption," said Mr. Stone, "came undoubtedly from 
the crater of Mont Pelee. The mountains rise in a vast amphi- 
theatre behind the city and extend in a magnificent sweep from 
Point Carbet on the south to La Mare on the north. The position 
of Mont Pelee, I should think, would enable it to bury St. Pierre 
under ashes from one end to the other. While I was there I saw 
no signs of activity in any of the volcanic mountains. They 
looked peaceful and quiet, and there was no smoke to be seen 
coming from any of them. 

BUILT ON SLOPE OF HILLS. 

" The city was built on the slope of the hills and the streets 
rose back from the bay in terraces. The mountains are cleft in 
the middle by the valley of the Riviere Roxelane, whose waters 
rush down the steeps, flow across a savanna, through the gutters 
of the city into the bay, thus giving the place a thorough system 
of sewerage. It was a beautiful city. The foothills were covered 
with bamboo and palms, and three miles from the town were 
botanical gardens, which for beauty excelled anything I have seen. 
There was an appearance of great prosperity in St. Pierre. The 
Creoles and #egro women dressed picturesquely and were very neat. 
Most of the population was $egro, of course, but there were several 
French importing houses with headquarters there, besides English 
and French banks. The sugar plantations and factories are behind 
the town. 

"The city is built close to the bay and is separated from it by 
a wide beach. There is practically no harbor, but the roadstead 
affords good anchorage for vessels. If there were any ships in the 
bay at the time of the eruption they must have been destroyed." 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 187 

For suddenness, completeness and number of victims the 
destruction of St. Pierre, Martinique, appears to surpass nearly 
all disasters recorded by history. To find its equal we have to go 
back to the great earthquake which, on November i, 1755, in eight 
minutes killed some 50,000 people in Lisbon, and was felt from 
Mitylene on the east to Madeira on the west, and from Fez on the 
south to Scotland on the north. 

That, however, was an earthquake proper — a violent shaking 
of the globe's fabric — and not a sudden descent of burniug earth 
and rock. What actually happened at St. Pierre is stated clearly 
in a brief despatch from the commander of the French cruiser 
Suchet to the Minister of Marine in Paris. This says : 

" St. Pierre has been completely destroyed by an immense 
mass of fire which fell on the town about 8 o'clock Thursday 
morning. The entire population (25,000) is supposed to have 
perished. I have brought here (Fort-de-France) the few survivors 
— about thirty. All shipping in the harbor destroyed. The erup- 
tion continues." 

QUIET MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS. 

For several days Mont Pelee, the volcano just north of St. 
Pierre, which had been quiet since 185 1, had been giving signs of 
renewed activity. Its eruption in 1851, however, while covering 
several hundred acres with debris, had caused no great loss of 
life. Earthquakes in 1839 an d in ^7^1 na ^ found 700 and 1,600 
victims respectively in Martinique, but the latest of these had 
been worse at Fort-de-France than at St. Pierre. 

Hence it is reasonable to suppose that the people of St. Pierre 
regarded the grumblings of Mont Pelee much as the people of 
Pompeii and Herculaneum probably did those of Vesuvius, and 
as the people of Torre del Greco are known to have looked upon 
the same volcano's activity in 1794. That is, they were regarded 
as dangerous, but not immediately or certainly destructive. Other- 
wise we should hear of fugitives reaching other parts of Mar- 
tinique. 

Mont Pelee seems to have done, however, what Krakatoa did 



188 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

in August, 1883, and even more suddenly. Krakatoa's volcano 
literally blew its own head off, completely destroyed that island, and 
altered the appearance of the Strait of Sunda. Hundreds of 
people were killed by the falling debris, and the resulting tidal 
waves drowned more than 25,000 at Batavia alone. Such enor- 
mous masses of dust were thrown into the upper air that for 
months afterward they produced the strange phenomenon of the 
"red sunsets" which excited much wonder all over the world. 

In the amount of material ejected the explosion of Mont 
Pelee seems to have been inferior to that of Krakatoa, but the 
populous town at the former's foot was literally annihilated. It 
may be that future explorers will delve in the ruins of St. Pierre 
as they do now in those of Pompeii and Herculaneum. But 
whereas there is reason to believe that the greater part of the 
inhabitants of the buried Italian cities escaped immediate death, 
from St. Pierre very few have survived to tell the tale. The fate 
of the victims descended as suddenly upon them from the sky as 
it came from the trembling earth at Lisbon. 

PHENOMENA OF THE ERUPTIONS. 

Although some light has been thrown on the character of 
the terrible eruption of Mont Pelee, by which the city of St. Pierre 
was blotted out of existence, the exact nature of the outbreak is a 
matter of speculation. Few eye-witnesses of the disaster, who 
were on land at the time of its occurrence have been found alive, 
and the stories they tell are far from being consistent and 
circumstantial. 

It would seem, however, that no molten lava reached the ill- 
fated town, which was destroyed by a tremendous shower of huge 
fragments of hot stones, boiling mud and volcanic ashes and dust, 
while instant death came to all who were in the path of the flood 
of stifling and poisonous gases which accompanied these more 
palpable messengers of ruin. The most remarkable feature of 
the eruption that was reported was the sheet of flame which is 
said to have poured over the city hugging the earth, apparently, 
and setting fire to everything within its reach. 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 189 

The manner in which the vomitings of the volcano were 
deflected in the direction of St. Pierre presents one of the most 
difficult problems connected with the eruption which scientific 
experts will be called upon to explain. It has been said that 
Mont Pelee blew her head off, but it is probable that the explosion, 
as distinguished from a mere eruption, was even more extended 
than that, and that the whole upper mass of the mountain was 
torn to splinters and scattered outward, as well as upward, in all 
directions. 

A similar phenomenon was witnessed in 1812, when the 
destructive outbreak of the Soufriere of St. Vincent occurred, 
materially changing the geographical outlines of the island in its 
vicinity. On that occasion there was not a flow of lava from the 
old crater of the volcano, but a sudden explosion which tore out 
the side of the mountain and hurled the fragments with desolat- 
ing force in a direction close to the earth. 

VOLCANIC DUST SHOT UPWARD. 

On the occasion just referred to there was another phenome- 
non which has again been witnessed during the outbreak of 
the St. Vincent Soufriere. An enormous volume of volcanic dust 
was shot high into the air — it attained a height, it has been esti- 
mated, of fully 16,000 feet — where it was taken up by the counter 
currents, and wafted across more than a hundred miles of water, 
in a direction directly contrary to that of the prevailing trade 
winds, and then deposited, in the shape of an impalpable powder, 
as dark and fine as lampblack, on the Island of Barbados and the 
surrounding sea. The same phenomenon was noted during the 
late explosions, when a great shower of volcanic dust made its 
way eastward from the crater of the Soufriere to the island stand- 
ing isolated far out at sea, although the trade winds were blowing 
steadily all the while towards the southwest. 

For two years the scientific corps of the Weather Bureau at 
Washington has been engaged in studying the direction and 
force of these upper air currents, and the phenomena connected 
with the eruptions of Mt. Pelee and the St. Vincent Soufriere will 



190 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

materially assist them in arriving at sonnd conclusions. Experi- 
enced geologists and meteorologists accompanied the gunboat 
Dixie on the relief expedition to Martinique for the purpose of 
studying these and the other phenomena of the eruptions, on the 
ground, and valuable scientific results must follow. 

There has rarely been witnessed in the experience of human 
beings so awful a scene of destruction as that volcanic upheaval 
at St. Pierre. The accounts of the cataclysm in which twenty- 
five thousand men, women and children were in a few minutes 
overwhelmed by the thick showers of molten fire that belched out of 
the earth may well make the proudest man feel how tiny and insig- 
nificant he is, and indeed all the rest of humanity, too, in the face 
of one of Nature's mighty and mysterious throes. 

RIVAL TO THE INFERNAL REGIONS. 

Many poets have set their imaginations to play in picturing 
hell. Milton was the greatest of them. But the infernal region 
and all its flaming terrors as he conceived them were not more 
hideous and appalling than the story of the experience of those 
hapless inhabitants upon whom the exploded mountain poured 
down its flaming and consuming storm. The fact is that the Day 
of Judgment, as foretold in the prophetic visions of the pious, 
could hardly impress the human mind with more horror than the 
extinction, as in a moment, of the West Indian town by the blast 
and whirlwind of infernal forces. It is one of the most impressive 
events of the age. It is a holocaust that makes civilization after 
all, seem very frail and feeble, and completely dwarfs the sense of 
importance which fills men concerning their relation to the uni- 
verse. There is nothing like a contemplation of your earthquake 
or your volcano for knocking conceit and vanity out of the 
human heart. 

Take for example, the following despatch, dated Fort-de- 
France, May 13th : 

" This city is already filled with thousands of refugees from 
the north end of the island and more are constant^ coming in. 
The terror has now taken a new form. There is imminent 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 191 

danger of starvation before help can get here. The victims of the 
awful disaster who have escaped with their lives and even without 
injury are dazed and helpless as children. They are absolutely 
destitute of everything save the few garments on their backs. 

"The food supply is so small that with the utmost caution it 
cannot last long among those who are here already, to say nothing 
of those who are still to come. From all points stragglers are 
making their way here. All the relief expeditions that are con- 
stantly going out bring here all whom they rescue. 

A VILLAGE THAT ESCAPED DESTRUCTION. 

"The French cruiser Suchet has already landed here 
practically all the inhabitants of Le Precheur, the village of 
nearly 4,000 inhabitants near St. Pierre which escaped destruction. 
In addition to these there are those at Morne Rouge, something 
like six hundred in all. All the district for miles about St. Pierre 
is a desolate waste. Kven the whole appearance of the country 
has been transformed. Where there were hills there are now 
deep crevasses, and where there were cultivated valleys there are 
hills. 

"It is not believed that there are any persons left alive in 
the northern part of the island. Those who have not perished 
have fled either to this place or elsewhere along the south coast. 
How many were lost in endeavors to escape in small boats to other 
islands will never be known. All that is certain is that many did 
take to the water in this way and of these but very few have been 
heard from. There has been a heavy sea running, in which a 
small boat could live only by a miracle. 

" Over St. Pierre and all the country for miles around there is 
still, even in the middle of the day, a darkness from the great 
black canopy of smoke that continues to rise from Mont Pelee 
and spread out over the sky to the horizon. At considerable 
distances from where the big soufriere of the volcano was new 
craters have broken out. 

"To add to the devastation, the rivers which took their rise 
from the vicinity of Pelee have overflowed their banks on the north 



192 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

side of the island, and wide areas of country are under water. 
The work of exploring the ruins of St. Pierre is carried on with 
the utmost difficulty. There is a constant shower of cinders and 
ashes froni the mountain. In addition there is the sickening odor 
that arises from the great heaps of dead which lie exposed in all 
directions or are mingled with the heaps of ruins." 

Percy F. Marks, an Knglish tourist, arrived in New York 
May 9th, and received his first knowledge of the disaster at Mart- 
inique. He was all over the island three weeks before. He spent 
several days in St. Pierre, studying the people, the customs and 
conditions of trade. 

"It is interesting to study the comparative times of the 
eruption of Vesuvius with the three volcanic disasters at Java, 
Honolulu and Martinique." he said. 

"We find that Vesuvius has in each instance indicated 
serious trouble. The old mountain seems to be a sort of stormy 
petrel, to tell when there was to be disasters in other parts of 
the world. I don't attempt to assign a scientific reason for this, 
but I cite it as a fact that Vesuvius grows restless just before 
something dreadful happens in another part of the world. 

PEOPLE COULD FIND SHELTER, 

" I am inclined to believe that the deaths among the people 
of St. Pierre have been exaggerated. The island of Martinique 
is cut up with many deep ravines, and there are steep mountain 
sides with sheltered spots where hundreds of people could, and I 
think we will learn, did find shelter. This condition existed in 
the case of the terrific hurricane of a number of years ago in the 
British West Indies. The first reports said that thousands of 
people had been killed, but gradually, after the excitement wore 
off, hundreds and hundreds emerged from hiding places which 
were not known to exist. 

" I really believe that we will learn in a few days that there 
are sheltered spots on the island of Martinique in which hundreds 
of terrified people are now hiding. But I am not so sure we have 
heard the worst from St. Vincent. This island is thickly popu- 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 193 

lated, especially in and around Kingstown, at the foot of the volcano 
La Soufriere. 

u The people of Martinique are very poor, although outwardly 
their houses and shops give an impression of wealth. Their 
buildings are very pretty, are in colors, red, white and blue, and 
are kept up very well. Inside the shops the displays appear to 
be quite lavish, but there are few moneyed purchasers. The 
credit system prevails almost exclusively. The majority of the 
people, who are black, of course, live on next to nothing. Four 
pence (eight cents) a day is the usual wage for labor, and is about 
as much as the employers can afford to pay. The laborers work 
very hard for the small wages. 

WOMEN OUTNUMBER MEN. 

" As in most of the West Indian Islands the women greatly 
outnumber the men, and do the brunt of the manual labor. The 
sugar trade, which is practically the only industry of the Island 
of Martinique, has not been profitable of late years, and the future 
of both Martinique and Guadeloupe, even before the eruption of 
Mont Pelee, was very gloomy. 

" The French government intends to remove the bounty from 
sugar, and without this bounty the industry cannot live, and 
without the industry the people of the island cannot very well 
subsist. But even with the best of conditions it will be many years 
before the Island of Martinique can be worked. Lava solidifies 
in about two years, the time required for its cooling. I think 
that it will be found to be from thirty to fifty feet deep in St. 
Pierre. 

" There were a great many Americans in business in St. 
Pierre. The business of the island seemed to be about equally 
divided between French and American merchants. There were 
very few Englishmen on the island- The whites were practically 
all Americans and French. During the winter there are thousands 
of American tourists on the island. It is a delightful place to 
spend a few weeks ; the climate is superb, and everything about 
the place is intended to charm the visitor. It is a fairyland in 
13-MAR 



194 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

miniature, really ; I never have seen any spot more beautiful or 

more poetic. 

"Oh, no ; it will not mean the desertion of the island. In a 

few years St. Pierre will again be a nourishing city. The natives 

of the island are peculiarly phlegmatic and philosophical. They 

take whatever is sent to them and make the best of it. Of course, 

in a case of this kind, it comes pretty hard, but these strange people 

will sigh and sob for a few weeks. The few who survive will theu 

calmly begin the reconstruction of the city. It will take manv 

years, no doubt, but the survivors of St. Pierre will do just what 

I say they will. That is their nature. People will come from 

other parts of the island and abide with them and labor with 

them, and eventually we will see another fairy-like city nestling 

in the very shadow of the great mountain which sent death among 

them. 

NEW CITY WILL ARISE. 

"The history of volcanic eruptions would assure the fulfill- 
ment of my prediction. Whenever there has been one a new city 
has arisen on the site of the one destroyed. The people reason, 
no doubt, that eruptions occur not oftener than one every fifty 
years, and that to live in peace for that length of time will be 
sufficient for them.'" 

" Was there any alarm felt by the people of Martinique when 
you left there?" was asked of Mr. Marks. "Absolutely none. 
No one expected that the grand old Mont Pelee, the slumbering, 
so it was thought, tranquil old hill, would ever emit forth fire 
and death. It was unlooked for. Mont Pelee was regarded by 
the natives as a sort of protector ; they had an almost superstitious 
affection for it. From the outskirts of the city it rose gradually, 
its sides grown thick with rich grass, and dotted here and there 
with spreading shrubbery and drooping trees. There was no 
pleasanter outing for an afternoon than a journey up the green, 
velvet-like sides of the towering mountain and a view of the quaint, 
picturesque city, slumbering at its base. 

" There were no rocky cliffs, no crags, no protruding bowlders. 
The mountain was peace itself. It seemed to promise perpetual 



SCENES IN 1 THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 195 

protection. The poetic natives relied upon it to keep back storms 
from the land and fr.ghten, with its stern brow, the tempests from 
the sea. They pointed to it with profonndest pride as one of the 
most beautiful mountains in the world. 

NATIVES LIVE IN CONTENTMENT. 

" Children played in its bowers and arbors ; families picnicked 
there day after day during the balmy weather ; hundreds of tour- 
ists ascended to the summit and looked with pleasiire at the beau- 
tiful crystal lake which sparkled and glistened in the sunshine. 
Mount Pelee was the place of enjoyment of the people of St. 
Pierre. 

"I wonder what the trustful, worshipful people thought when 
the great volcano began to frown upon them, when steam and fire 
began to rise from those beautiful grassy slopes. As near as I can 
ascertain the spurts of lava came from the sides, not the top. From 
the position of the volcano the torrents must have flowed straight 
into the city, sweeping through the nice districts first, and next 
blotting out the business districts. Had some one three weeks 
ago, when I was in St. Pierre, told the natives that Mount Pelee 
would soon open up and hurl death at them, he would have been 
laughed at. I can just hear the placid, forbearing natives say ; 
'Oh, no ; old Pelee is our protector — not our destroyer.' But no 
one suggested it, because no one even suspected it." 

What most impressed the stranger on his first arrival in St. 
Pierre was the brilliancy of the women's costumes. The streets 
were filled with an endless throng of graceful swaying figures, 
clad in audacious color contrasts. These gay toilets were almost 
exclusively confined to the negro or mulatto population. The 
wives and daughters of the French white planters adopted every- 
where the modern fashions. 

Until the fall of the French empire in 1870, when universal 
suffrage was granted alike to whites and blacks, the government 
was exclusively in the hands of the white aristocracy, between 
whom and their colored inferiors was drawn a strict line of demar- 
cation. As the whites also nearly monopolized the wealth of the 



19f> SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

island they were able to give their children an education in France, 
which still more emphasized the difference between the races. 

Later, however, with wealth and power passing into the hands 
of the more enterprising among the colored population, they, too, 
had been giving their children the educational advantages for- 
merly denied to themselves; not only were many of the young 
negroes and half-breeds educated abroad, but the schools and 
institutes established for their benefit in Martinique lessened the 
intellectual distance between the races. The social distance, on 
ihe contrary, was emphasized as the whites retired more and more 
within themselves. Hardly a man with the slightest drop of 
negro blood was admitted to the houses of the aristocracy, and 
even when political distinction raised him above the masses it 
secured no exception for his wife and daughters. 

Martinique is famous in French history as the birthplace of 
of Mine, de Maintenon and Josephine, afterward Kmpress of the 
French. It was at Fort-de-France that Marie Rose Tacher de la 
Pagerie, a planter's daughter, rich in youth, beauty and hope, 
passed her schooldays. The momory of Martinique's Creole 
Empress is fittingly commemorated by a marble statue placed in 
the centre of a green savanna, encircled by nine towering palms. 
It was executed in Paris by Dubray and presented to the people of 
the island by Napoleon III. 

EMPRESS JOSEPHINE'S BIRTHPLACE. 

From a historic standpoint, the most interesting of all Mar- 
tinique excursions, namely, to the old plantation homestead of 
Josephine, is made from Fort-de-France. After leaving the highway 
and traversing a valley for several miles, one comes upon the old 
La Pagerie estate, whers stands the famous little sugar house, the 
childhood home of Josephine. This, however, was not the original 
La Pagerie mansion. The latter stood on an elevation near by, 
and was a typical and luxurious home, quite in keeping with a 
wealthy planter of that period. It was completely destroyed in 
the great hurricane of 1776, a few years after Josephine's birth. 
M. La Pagerie then took up his residence in the only building left 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 197 

on his estate, the old sugar house in the valley, whose thick walls 
and lower location had withstood the fury of the storm. 

It was in this lowly and unpretentious abode the young 
Josephine passed the days of her infancy. When twelve years old 
she was placed in a convent school in Fort-de-France, where she 
remained until her sixteenth year. 

Among the legendary spots pointed out is the well where an 
old fortune-telling negro woman made the famous prophecy that 
Josephine would one day become queen of France. Here she spent 
her youth until 1799, when she sailed for Paris and became the wife 
of Alexander Beauharnais. Ten years later, with Hortense, she 
visited her island home, which she was destined never to see 
again. The historic little home has been kept up as a sort of 
memorial by the island government. 

The Island of Martinique has several times been devastated, 
either by volcanic eruptions, hurricanes or smallpox and yellow 
fever. Within the borders of the island there are five volcanoes, 
which are supposed to have been extinct. For many years until 
1851 all the mountains had been quiet. One of the peaks has an 
enormous crater, exceeded by only three or four others in the 
world. In 1888 the island was visited by a sweeping epidemic of 
smallpox, which raged for the most part among the lowest classes, 
principally among the negroes. Each year the city has suffered 
from yellow fever, although the City of St. Pierre has an excellent 
natural drainage. 

HAS BEEN LEVELED BEFORE. 

Fort-de-France has been leveled three times by earthquakes 
and once by a hurricane. Most of the cosmic disturbances in 
Martinique, however, take the form of earthquakes, and these are 
so common that the inhabitants pay little attention to any but 
the most severe. The earthquakes seem to originate beneath and 
in the immediate vicinity of Mont Pelee, and are judged to be 
probably due to the subsidence of the strata beneath that giant 
dome. The Island of Martinique is one of the most densely 
settled regions on the globe, having 187,692 people, all of whom, 



198 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

in one way or another, get their living from the soil, for Mar- 
tinique has no mines and none but the simple manufactures that 
might be expected of a people whose time is given up to agri- 
culture. 

During the great wars of the last century between England 
and France, it was four times taken by the English, being seized 
in 1762, 1 78 1, 1794 and 1809, and finally restored by the treaty of 
1 8 14, only after the most urgent representations on the part of 
the French that not for commercial or military purposes, but 
solely for a sentimental consideration, the island should be 
returned ; that the French people desired above all things to own 
the little island that had given them their beloved empress. 

England yielded the point with diplomatic courtesy, and since 
1 8 14 the tricolor has floated over Martinique. It is too far from 
France to be a show place for the French. Like St. Helena, it is 
far from the beaten routes of tourist travel; like Elba and the 
lonely rock on which Napoleon Bonaparte died, it would not be 
known at all save from the fact of having been made famous by a 
historic character. 

RECALLS DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII. 

The destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum by the eruption 
of Mount Vesuvius, as described by Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 
" The East Days of Pompeii," is given renewed interest by the 
disaster at St. Pierre, to which it bears many points of similarity. 
The author's words are as follows : 

" The cloud which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the 
day had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass. It 
resembled less even the thickest gloom of night in the open air 
than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room. But in 
proportion as the blackness gathered did the lightnings around 
Vesuvius increase in the vivid and searching glare. 

"Nor was their horrible beauty confined to the usual flashes of 
fire ; no rainbow ever rivaled their varying and prodigal dyes ; now 
brightly blue as the most azure depth of a southern sky ; now a 
lurid and snake like green, darting restlessly to and fro as the folds 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 199 

of an enormous serpent ; now of a lurid and intolerable crimson, 
gushing forth through the columns of smoke far and wide, and 
lighting up the whole city from arch to arch, then suddenly dying 
into a sickly paleness, like the ghost of their own life. 

RUMBLINGS OF EARTH. ', 

f 

" In the pauses of the showers Gan heard the rumblinp- of the 
earth beneath and the roaring waves of the tortured sea, the grind- 
ing and hissing murmurs of the escaping gases through the 
chasms of the distant mountain. Sometimes the cloud appeared 
to break from its solid mass, and, by the lightning, to assume 
quaint and vast mimicries of human or of monster shape, strid- 
ing across the gloom, hurtling one upon the other, and vanishing 
swiftly into the abyss of shade, so that, to the eyes and fancies of 
the affrighted wanderers, the unsubstantial vapors were as the 
bodily forms of gigantic foes- -the agents of terror and of death. 

"The ashes in many places were already knee deep, and the 
boiling showers which came from the steaming breath of the vol- 
cano forced their way into the houses, bearing with them a strong 
and suffocating vapor. Immense fragments of rock, hurled upon 
the house roofs, bore along the streets masses of confined ruin. 

' The winds and showers came to a sudden pause ; the atmos- 
phere was profoundly stale ; the mountain seemed at rest, gather- 
ing, perhaps, fresh fury for its next burst. * * * Suddenly 
as he spoke the place became lighted with an intense and lurid 
glow. Bright and gigantic through the darkness which closed 
around it, like the walls of hell, the mountain shone — a pile of fire. 
The summit seemed driven in two, or above the surface there 
seemed to rise two monster shapes, each confronting each, as 
demons contending for a world. These were of one deep blood- 
red hue of fire, which lighted up the whole atmosphere, far and 
vide, but below the nether part of the mountain was still dark and 
shrouded, save in three places, adown which flamed serpentine 
and irregular rivers of the molten lava. 

"Darkly red through the profound gloom of their banks they 
flowed slowly on as toward the devoted city. Over the broadest 



200 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

there seemed to spring a cragged and stupendous arch, from 
which, as from the jaws of hell, gushed the source of sudden dis- 
asters, and through the stilled air was heard the rattling of the 
fragments of rock, hurtling one upon another as they were borne 
down the fiery cataracts — darkening for one instant the spot 
where they fell, and suffused the next in the burnished hues of 
the flood along which they floated. 

AVALANCHE OF FIRE. 

" Glaucus turned in gratitude and caught Ion once more in 
his arms and fled along the street, that was yet intensely lumi- 
nous. But suddenly a duller shade fell over the air. Instinctively 
he turned to the mountain, and, behold ! one of the two gigantic 
crests into which the summit had been divided rocked and wavered 
to and fro and then with a sound, the mightiness of which no lan- 
guage can describe, it fell from its burning base and rushed, an 
avalanche of fire, down the side of the mountain. 

"At the same instant gushed forth a volume of blackest 
smoke, rolling on over air, sea and earth. Another, and another, 
and another shower of ashes, far more profuse than before, scat- 
tered fresh desolation along the streets. Darkness once more 
wrapped them as a veil. 

" The sudden illumination, the bursts of the floods of lava and 
the earthquake, which we have already described, chanced when Sal- 
lust and his party had just gained the direct path leading from the 
city to the port, and here they were arrested by an immense throng 
- — more than half the population of the cit}^. The sea had retired 
far from shore and they who had fled to it had been so terrified by 
the agitation and preternatural shrinking of the element, the 
gasping forms of the uncouth sea, which the waves had left upon 
the sand, and by the sound of the hugh stones cast from the 
mountain into the deep, that they had returned again to the land, 
as presenting the less frightful aspect of the two." 

A leading journal thus comments on the harrowing calamity : 

" The appalling character of the disaster which has visited 
the island of Martinique is fully confirmed by the details of the 



SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. zvl 

calamity as they slowly come to hand ; the eruption of Mont 
Pelee will pass into history as one of the most terrible and de- 
structive on record. The conditions existingin the district imme- 
diately back of St. Pierre are as yet unknown, and thousands of 
refugees may have found safety there, although they may now be 
suffering great privations. 

" No account of the eruption by intelligent and reliable eye- 
witnesses on land has as yet been received, and when such a nar- 
rative is available, it may materially modify the first impressions. 
It would appear, from a letter written by the wife of the American 
Consul at St. Pierre, that the inhabitants of the fated city had had 
fully two weeks' warning of the doom that threatened them, and 
it would be a singular illustration of the charcteristic enervation 
resulting from tropical influences if the repeated warnings were 
ignored by the entire population of the city. 

ENTITLED TO SYMPATHY. 

" At the best that can be hoped for, however, the havoc wrought 
by Mont Pelee is so extended and far-reaching in its effects, that 
the islanders are entitled to the substantial exhibition of sympathy 
which promises to reach them from every quarter of the civil- 
ized world. The industrial conditions prevailing in Martinique 
before this terrible visitation presented, in the main, a happy con- 
trast to those existing in the British Islands by which this pros- 
perous French possession is surrounded. The British West Indies 
have been afflicted with a sort of industrial dry-rot which has been 
slowl}^ but surely destroying their vitality ever since the decline 
of sugar-planting consequent upon the abolition of negro slaver}-. 
In Martinique, and Gaudeloupe as well, there have been no such 
radical changes in the industrial situation, and both these islands 
have retained almost the full measure of their original prosperity. 

"Although the white population of Martinique is only six 
per cent, of the total — barely 10,000 in about 175,000 — it is large 
in comparison with that of any and all of the British Islands, and 
the natives of various shades of color are far from being as thriftless 
and as shiftless as the blacks of the last-named dependencies. 



202 SCENES IN THE STRICKEN ISLANDS. 

They have the gay and frivolous temperament of the South of 
France, but it is coupled with a fair measure of the substantial 
qualities of the French peasant, and they are industrious and 
frugal in a degree that is encountered in none of the British 
possessions. 

" The terrible calamity which has visited this beautiful island 
lias swept tens of thousands of its inhabitants to a sudden and 
horrible death, the white element of the population probably 
suffering more than the colored in proportion, because they were 
naturally attracted to a residence in the fatal city of St. Pierre, 
while the survivors living in the devastated region, whether they 
are many or few, have been utterly ruined as to their worldly 
belongings. The lavish hand of tropical nature will soon cover 
the waste places with the luxuriant growth which already hides 
the ravages of previous cataclysms, but many years will elapse 
before the island will witness the return of the prosperous and 
contented conditions so lately existing." 



CHAPTER VIII. 

St. Vincent Volcano in Active Eruption. — Terrific Can- 
nonade Heard One Hundred Miles Away. — Kingstown 
Showered with Hot Ashes and Pebbles. 

ON Thursday, May 15, one week after the eruption of Mt. Pelee, 
despatches were received confirming the reports that a large 
part of the population of St. Vincent, Martinique's neighbor, had 
been destroyed. Governor Llewelyn, of the Windward Islands, 
sent the following despatch to the C3louial Office at London : 

" I arrived at St. Vincent yesterday and found the state of 
affairs worse than was given in the reports forwarded by the 
Administrator. 

" The country on the coast between Robin Rock and George- 
town (a stretch of about three miles on the coast) was apparentl} r 
struck and devastated in a similar manner to St. Pierre. I fear 
that all living things within that radius have been destroyed. 
Probably sixteen hundred persons have been killed. The number 
will never be exactly known. 

"The managers and owners of estates, with their families 
and several of the better class of people, were killed. One 
thousand bodies were found and buried. One hundred and sixty 
persons were sent to the hospital at Georgetown. Probably six of 
this number will recover. The details are too harrowing to 
describe. 

"I have got a coasting steamer from St. Lucia going up and 
down the leeward coast with water and provisions. The sum of 
^2,200 has been received for relief of the distressed. 

" I have asked the Governor of Trinidad to send a doctor, 
and have ordered another from Grenada. The British warship 
Indefatigable remains. All the neighboring British colonies are 
giving assistance generously. 

"The extent of the awful calamity is now being realized and 
every effort is being made to grapple with it. All the beet sugar 

208 



204 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

estates in the Carib country have been devastated, and all the 
cattle are dead. 

" The eruption continues, but is apparently moderating. 
Anxiety is still felt. The officers and residents are co-operating 
with me and the ladies are making clothing." 

The Admiralty received the following cable despatch from 
the commander of the British warship Indefatigable, last night, 
dated St. Vincent : 

" The eruption is apparently moderating. The northern end 
is devastated from Belair round to Georgetown. On the windward 
side, matters are worse. The mortality is about 1,600. About 
3,000 are under relief. I can render necessary assistance from 
St. Vincent." 

THANKS FOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 

The Consul General of France at the port of New York made 
this public announcement : 

"I received from the French Government a cablegram direct- 
ing me to thank the Chamber of Commerce and the people of New 
York for their great outburst of sympathy and generosity. This 
is only the informal thanks which I am to convey at once. I have 
no doubt the Government will formally express its appreciation 
later. It is easy to understand that the Colonial Minister is very 
much overwhelmed with business just now. 

u For my own part, I wish to say that this great, generous 
demonstration is touching in the extreme. There is not another 
country in the world from which it could have come except 
America — it is like the American people. I repeat that it touches 
me deeply. I am constantly getting contributions and generous 
checks. The difference between such spontaneous liberality and 
having to pass around the contribution plate is very great, I assure 
you. To a man in my position here it is a relief that is quite 
beyond expression." 

The auxiliary cruiser Dixie sailed from Brooklyn for Mar- 
tinique Wednesday the 14th, having on board 1234 tons of food 
and clothing, a number of officers of the Quartermaster's and 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 205 

Commissary's Departments to distribute it, and a number of 
passengers. All but 700 tons of her cargo was put on in one 
day. 

The following statement was made on this day, showing the 
plans laid for the trip of the Dixie : 

; 'The army officers who went on the Dixie to attend to the 

distribution of the relief supplies were Captain R. Sewell, Cap- 
tain Hugh J. Gallagher, Assistant Surgeons J. B. Clayton, J. R. 
Church and I. Riley, Captain W. S. Ross, four sergeants and four 
privates of the Hospital Corps. 

"Among the passengers to sail were Dr. Jagger, the Harvard 
geologist ; Prof. Hill, of the United States Geological Survey ; 
Prof. Russell, of the University of Michigan ; Captain Borsch- 
grevink, the Antarctic explorer, and George Curtis, of the 
National Geographical Society. 

OFF FOR MARTINIQUE. 

' The Dixie is commanded by Captain R. M. Berry, and her 
navigating officer is Lieutenant John B. Bernadou, who com- 
manded the Winslow during the Spanish War. 

"Lieutenant Bernadou said that the cruiser would lay a course 
almost due south after leaving this port, going through the Ane- 
gada passage after leaving Hatteras. The entire journey of 1,800 
miles, he thought, might be made in four or five days. The Dixie, 
he said, would be pushed for all she was worth, and he expected 
that she would average thirteen knots, very good speed for her 
considering her foul condition. 

" No arrangements for the distribution of the Dixie's supplies 
had been made when the cruiser left New York. She will go first 
to Fort-de-France, where the army officers will get a good grip on 
the situation, and then proceed to the point where help is most 
needed. It is likely that a great deal of the Dixie's cargo will be 
taken ashore at Fort-de-France." 

By Wednesday, one week after the eruption, correspondents 
were able to reach the scene. One wrote as follows : 

" Mont Pelee is still in a state of eruption, but the winds are 



206 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

southerly and the smoke and the greater part of the heavier 
matter thrown out are borne away to the northward. 

4 This has somewhat relieved the working parties in St. 
Pierre, and has made a more careful examination of the ruins 
possible. 

" I made a trip through the ruined 'city and through the adja- 
cent villages with the searching party organized by Signor Para- 
vicino, the Italian Consul at Barbados, whose daughter was 
visiting there and who perished in the disaster. The body was 
recovered and has been brought here in a coffin. 

CURIOUS EFFECTS OF THE FIRE. 

" There was some doubt at first concerniug the identity of 
the remains, but this was set to rest by relatives and friends iden- 
tifying the clothing. This was another example of the curious 
effects of the fire that swept over the town, bodies being burned 
beyond all recognition, but clothing of flimsy material being 
little damaged. 

" The body was found by Signor Paravicino near the village 
of Carbet, a suburb of St. Pierre. The scenes around the residence 
where the girl had been visiting were worse than in St. Pierre 
itself. In the latter place the victims were mostly covered with 
ashes and other debris. 

" Near Carbet I saw five hundred bodies that were terribly 
distended and in an advanced state of decomposition. These 
bodies were counted around the house in which Signora Para- 
vicino was found and on the adjacent land. 

" Nearly all the dead were lying on their faces on the ground. 
Those found in the ruins of dwellings were badly charred. 

"The body of a woman was found in a nearby stream, to 
which she had apparently fled in the hope of saving herself from 
the fiery flood. 

" A large heap of bodies was found in one spot. They were 
apparently those of servants. 

" Another residence close by, but sheltered partly by a hill 
on the St. Pierre side, escaped almost untouched. The windows 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 207 

and inside blinds are gone, but inside the furniture, papers, books, 
clothing and flooring are mostly unscathed. 

" The only living thing seen in this district was an ox, thin as 
a skeleton. While the body of Signora Paravicino was being 
prepared for removal this animal stalked slowly through the wreck- 
age to the beach, where it drank sea water and then went back np 
the hill side. 

" I went on foot from Carbet to St. Pierre. On the road the 
remains of a man and horse were passed. 

" Further on was seen the body of a man at the foot of a 
statue of the Virgin, he apparently having been killed while 
praying. 

" A large statue of the Virgin on the hill above St. Pierre was 
hurled yards distant from its base." 

The accompanying statement by a visitor at Martinique pictures 
vividly the ruin wrought by volcanic outbursts : 

BAPTISM OF FIRE LASTING NINE DAYS. 

"St. Vincent has passed through a veritable baptism of fire, and 
the results are only less terrible than those that followed the erup- 
tion of Mont Pelee, destroying the town of St. Pierre and its en- 
virons with their 30,000 to 40,000 inhabitants. 

"Morne Soufriere has been in activity for nine days, and its 
victims are numbered by the thousands. A line drawn from 
Chateau Belaire to Georgetown would divide the island of St. Vin- 
cent into halves. There is probably no human being alive north 
of it. Already 1000 bodies have been recovered, and it is known 
that many hundreds lie buried under the ashes that are mantled 
over the island. 

"It is conservatively estimated that 2000 have been sacrificed 
since the first eruption on May 7. This includes all of the Carib 
Indians, which means the practical extinction of the race that was 
found here by Columbus four centuries ago. An old Indian 
prophecy that the Caribs would be sacrificed to the fire god which 
they worshiped has thus been fulfilled. Of the Caribs only a few 
individuals remain on the islands of St. Lucia and Dominica. 



208 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

" From St. Lucia the eruption of Morne Soufriere was visible 
during the night of May 7. The following night the steamship 
Wear, of the Royal Mail service, attempting to force her way to 
Kingstown, ran into a floating bank of ashes. For three hours the 
ship was practically helpless in a cloud of smoke and sulphurous 
gas denser than that which floated down from Mont. Pelee. 

"When Kingstown was finally reached at daybreak it was 
found panic stricken. The streets were covered two inches deep 
with ashes and stones that had fallen during the night. Kings- 
town is fifteen miles from the crater which ejected the stones, yet 
the rain of missiles was almost incessant for three days. 

"From Chateau Belaire word came that the distress there was 
great. A call had been sent for a clergyman, and one was taken 
up by the Wear. Down the sides of Morne Soufriere were flowing 
hundreds of streams of lava, which, uniting and separating, formed 
a network from which there was no possible escape for any living 
thing caught within its grasp. 

A SWIFT STREAM OF MOLTEN LAVA. 

"By the explosion of 181 2 a river that had existed ever since 
the discovery of the island was dried up. Down its channel there 
now flows a swift stream of molten lava, which glistens like liquid 
silver, and which flows into the sea within 100 yards of 
Georgetown. As the water and the lava meet, a great cloud of 
steam arises, and the hissing can be heard for miles. 

" From a distance dozens of craters can be seen, now open- 
ing and again closing, near the crest of Morne Soufriere. The 
force of the eruption seems to be lessening, but the danger is 
still great. The most violent eruption stopped in the afternoon 
of May 10. 

" Many searching parties are now out. Seven estates have 
been ruined beyond hope of repair. Two chapels have been buried 
under a stream of lava. Many houses have beeu covered under 
masses of ashes and lava, and there is hardly a spot in the island 
that is not under from two inches to ten feet of ashes. 

"The British steamer Cennet on Sunday ran through five 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 209 

miles of smoke that was so dense that the crew were almost suffo- 
cated. For more than an hour the ship had to be left to its own 
guidance. 

" Morne Soufriere, though not so active as it was last week, 
is still so threatening as to terrify the inhabitants. Smoke and 
flames continue to belch from the crater, over which there is an 
incessant play of ligtning, forking out from the column, that 
reaches so far up into the sky that the eye cannot reach its crest. 

"It was more than two weeks ago that Morne Soufriere first 
gave warning that it was about to give a display of fireworks more 
majestic than has been seen by man during the last thousand 
years. Soufriere raises its head 4048 feet above the sea level. It 
lies at the northern end of St. Vincent, and can be seen fully fifty 
miles at sea on a clear day. For ninety years the old volcano 
has been somnolent. On rare occasions it has grumbled internally, 
but it has been regarded as harmless by the Indians, who have 
told of the eruptions, which ceased long ago, and which they have 
carried in their traditions. 

" After the eruption of 1812 the old crater closed, and water 
filling it, formed a beautiful blue lake. 

HISTORY OF THE OUTBREAK. 

"For many days Soufriere labored inwardly in a manner 
such as was new to the present generation. Then, on May 5, the 
crater lake became greatly disturbed. It began to boil and bubble 
like a great cauldron. Steam arose from it in immense clouds. 
The rumbling beneath the mountain redoubled in force, and at 2 
o'clock that afternoon Soufriere trembled as though it was in the 
throes of a terrible agony. Then came a series of severe earth- 
quakes that shook the entire island. 

" That night sulphuric flames played about the summit of 
the volcano, giving it a weird and terrible appearance. Steam 
continued to rise in clouds, and the thunders of the skies were 
joined with those that came from the bowels of the Soufriere. 

" All during Wednesday the splendid phenomenon continued, 
giving those who lived in the near vicinity of the volcano ample 



210 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

time to make their escape. All seem to have been hypnotized, and 
of the thousands who were there only a few hundred went away. 

"It was noon on Wednesday when Morne Sonfriere suddenly 
opened, sending six separate streams of lava pouring and boiling 
down its sides. Death was everywhere, and in its most terrible 
forms. Lightning came from the sky, killing many who had 
escaped the molten streams that were pouring into the valleys. 

"For this great tragedy the settings were wonderful. Sou- 
friere literally rocked in its agony. From its summit a majestic 
column of smoke, inky black, reached skyward. The craters were 
vomiting incandescent matter that gave forth prismatic lights as it 
rolled away toward the sea. 

" Great waves of fire seemed to hedge about the mountain top. 
Such thunder as has seldom been heard by man cracked and rolled 
through the heavens. From the earth came tremendous detona- 
tions. These joined with the thunder, all merging in an incessant 
roar that added to the panic of fleeing inhabitants. 

A HUGE COLUMN OF SMOKE. 

"This lasted through the night, and the day and night fol- 
lowing. On Thursday morning a huge column, so black that it 
had the appearance of ebony, arose to an estimated height of eight 
miles from the top of the volcano. 

"Ashes and rock, as well as lava, were carried skyward in this 
column to deluge the island and the ocean for miles around. 
Gradually the column mushroomed at the top, spread out into 
dense clouds, that descended to bring night at noontime. 

" The atmosphere was so laden with sulphurous gas that life 
was made almost impossible. It is believed that many of those 
nearest to Soufriere were suffocated by this gas before they were 
touched by the burning lava. 

"Many expected that the entire island would be destroyed, 
and the night of Thursday was given up to prayers. All that 
night the darkness was beyond description, save when everything 
was made light as broad day by the lightning which forked out 
from the volcano. 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 211 

" The earth quaked incessantly, the mountains shook, stones, 
lava and great quantities of ashes never ceased to fall. So terrible 
were the thunders that it seemed to the terrified that the universe 
was being rent to pieces. 

"Friday brought a slight respite. Soufriere became less 
agitated. The lava streams did not decrease, but the showers of 
rock stopped for a time. Then those of stout heart ventured out 
to take stock of the wonderful ruin that had been wrought. 

"All areas of cultivation were found to be destroyed, buried 
under banks of volcanic matter. Wallibou and Richmond plan- 
tations and villages on the leeward coast were wrecked. Wallibou 
was partly under water, which had been swept in from the sea by 
a tidal wave. Five other plantations were gone. 

"The Carib Indians had made that portion of the island 
lying at the base of Soufriere their country. That entire district 
was a smoking incinerated ruin. Ashes were everywhere, no place 
being less than two feet deep, and in some places lava had rolled 
over the deep banks of ashes. Kvery Indian had disappeared. 
If there is a survivor he is not yet known. 

" All vegetation had disappeared. Not a sprig of green was 

to be seen on the island. Live stock had died. Houses had 

vanished. Rivers were dry and their beds ran lava. 

" Everywhere north of Chateau Belaire were dead bodies, 

some half buried, others showing that they had been stricken 

down by the lightning. A few seemed to have been dipped in 

lava, which took form from them. Decomposition seemed to be 

almost immediate. The dead are being buried now as rapidly as 

possible, but the conditions are such that pestilence can hardly 

be avoided. 

GEORGETOWN'S TERRIBLE PLIGHT. 

" Kingstown is safe, but Georgetown has suffered terribly. In 
the hospitals there 167 sufferers are now being cared for, with 
little chance that any of them will recover. Now there is a 
famine. Unless supplies are quickly received, hundreds will 
starve. While the violent eruption has ceased, the air is still 
filled with volcanic dust and ashes, creating an intense thirst and 



212 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 



causing such suffering as can hardly be imagined by those not on 
the island. 

"The Soufriere broke forth again on the 13th, but there 
remained no more inhabitants in the north of the island. Its ex- 
plosions are said to have been heard for nearly one hundred miles 
through the Caribbean Sea. 

" Work among the ruins of St. Pierre is being continued in 

an unsatisfactory 
manner. The sol- 
diers have to be 
forced to act, and 
hour by hour the 
danger of an out- 
break of pestilence 
increases. The 
dead are being 
burned, the pyres 
being fed with pe- 
troleum and tar. 
Great fires are 
kept going, which 
at night light up 
the entire island, 
and which, being 
seen at St. Lucia, 
led to the belief 
that Fort -de- 
France had burn- 
ed. The fires in 
the city have 
burned themselves out, making it possible to dig down into the 
ruins, thus revealing the horrors that have been buried. 

" In the streets ashes and cinders are in places six feet deep. 
Everywhere are the dead bodies, decomposing and giving off a 
stench that makes the workers faint. Although thousands have 
been burned, bodies still remain to be cremated. Many of the 




ISLAND OF MARTINIQUE, SHOWING MONT PELEE AND 
ALL THE TOWNS. 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 213 

bodies are carbonized and swollen. Some are encrusted with 
ashes. Under one ruin perhaps only a single body will be found, 
while not far off will be a group of half a score huddled together. 

"In all St. Pierre only a single human being escaped the 
work of Mont Pelee. The one is a negro murderer, who was locked 
iu a cell so far under ground that the gases, as well as the flames, 
failed to reach him. There he remained for four days before his 
cries were heard. When the cell door was thrown open he dashed 
away. He is believed to have been crazed by the awful experi- 
ence through which he passed. 

" Armed soldiers are watching the workers to prevent the 
robbing of the dead bodies or the ruins. Vandals continue to 
profit, but orders that have been given to shoot down any person 
who is seen robbing a body will probably put a stop to the crime. 
Some idea of the terrible heat poured clown from Mont Pelee may 
be had when it is known that the iron rollers of the Prinelle 
sugar mills were melted as though they had passed through a 
furnace." 

TERRIFIC CANNONADE. 

Another account furnishes additional confirmation of the fore- 
going reports : 

" The S3iifriere volcano, on the island of St. Vincent, is still 
in destructive eruption. A terrific cannonade can be heard a 
hundred miles away. The reports are followed by columns of 
smoke, rising miles in the air. Immense balls of colored fire also 
issue from the crater. Lightning is playing fiercely in the upper 
sky, and the whole northern part of the island is one mass of 
traveling flame. It is impossible to reach the burning district by 
land or sea, and there are no means of estimating the destruction 
wrought to life and property. 

" Kingstown, the capital of St. Vincent, is still safe, though 
showers of ashes and pebbles are continually falling on the town. 
The volcano itself is invisible. It has just been officially reported 
that there were 1600 dead up to May 12th, at St. Vincent. 

" It is reported from the French island of Guadeloupe that 
pumice stone in great quantities is floating 011 the sea there and 



214 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

at the British island of Dominica, and that much stone has been 
cast up on the beaches of these islands. 

" The eruption of Mont Pelee continues, Covering the island 
with ashes, which are in places many feet deep. The rumblings 
of the volcano are heard continuously. St. Pierre can now be 
approached. Troops and a man-of-war have been sent there 
to search the ruins and bury and burn the dead. The stench in 
the city is awful. 

" The streams of fire that destroyed St. Pierre came from 
the side of the mountain, which opened and closed, leaving 
large and very deep crevices near Maconba and Grand Riviere. 
The sea during the catastrophe withdrew several hundred feet, 
comine back steaming with furv. The officers in charge of a 
boat making soundings off the island report a depth of 4000 feet, 
where formerly it was only 600 to the bottom. Pumice stone and 
ashes covered the sea for many miles. 

"The cable repair steamer saved 500 persons, who were sur- 
rounded by burning lava, near La Precheur. Many wounded were 
found at Morne Rouge. Several ships have arrived bearing help 
and provisions." 

SOLE SURVIVOR OF ST. PIERRE. 

The correspondent of the London Daily Mail at Barbados, 
B. W. I., who visited St. Pierre on board the Royal Mail Steamer 
Solent, learned from a Dr. Artier, who escaped the disaster, that 
when the Governor of Martinique, M. L. Mouttet, and the insular 
officials had declared that all danger from an eruption of Mont 
Pelee was past, a cordon of armed soldiers and policemen was 
placed around the town to prevent the people from leaving. Dr. 
Artier, however, went to the suburb of Morne Rouge. He was 
riding back to St. Pierre when the explosion occurred. He turned 
and fled precipitately across the mountains to Fort-de-France. 
With the exception of the prisoner who was confined in a dun- 
geon at the time of the explosion, Dr. Artier is really the sole 
survivor of St. Pierre. 

The signal station at Castries, Island of St. Lucia, reported 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 215 

that a large fire was seen in the evening of May 13th, in the 
direction of Fort-de-France, Martinique. 

The British steamer Sayan, Captain Hunter, arrived next 
morning and reported Mont Pelee to be still in eruption. The 
trend of the flow from the volcano was to the north. 

The search parties which were removing the dead f. 0111 St. 
Pierre discovered safes and molten precious metal in stores and 
dwellings of the town. No one was permitted to penetrate into 
St. Pierre beyond the street running along the sea front, and a 
cordon of soldiers was placed around the town. The St. Pierre 
Cathedral is all down, with the exception of one tower, and of the 
theatre the walls alone are standing. The convent, which con- 
tained 200 girls and 36 nuns, disappeared, as also the college, 
where 70 boys and 22 priests and professors were domiciled. 

STREETS BURIED UNDER CINDERS. 

A correspondent of the Associated Press wrote as follows: 

'The destruction there is appalling. The streets are two 
feet deep in ashes and cinders, which cover thousands of dead 
bodies, scorched black and shiny, as if they had been plunged into 
boiling pitch. Many of the dead were never touched by the vol- 
canic fire, and some of the houses and woodwork destroyed show 
no signs of burning. 

" At Moudlage, in the southwestern portion of St. Pierre, the 
Town Hall is still standing as high as the first story, while at the 
fort, in the northwestern part of St. Pierre, the most massive 
stonework is calcined. The church tower, built by the Jesuits 
two centuries ago of Cyclopean mason work, is now like a huge 
heap of old metal. 

" Soldiers are guarding property from prowling ghouls, who 
are robbing the dead. They meet with severe punishment when 
caught. 

"The stench throughout St. Pierre is terribly offensive. The 
streets are still obstructed by huge piles of debris and dead bodies. 
The work of clearing the thoroughfares will necessitate the 
employment of large numbers of men for many months. 



21(5 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

" Moudlage Rouge, near St. Pierre, is preserved, and Basse 
Pointe and Macouba are yet unhurt, but the crater is still active 
and smoke and ashes are blowing steadily northward. The surviv- 
ing inhabitants are trying to cross from St. Pierre to the Island of 
Dominica in boats. Many drowning casualties are reported. 
Assistance is constantly arriving at Fort-de-France from all the 
neighboring islands." 

NEEDS OF ST. VINCENT. 

A despatch from London under date of May 14th was as 
follows : 

"At a dinner of the West Indian Club held in London 
to-night the Hon. Arthur Ponsonby declared that, in view of the 
generosity shown by President Roosevelt and the American people 
toward the Martinique sufferers, the people of Great Britain 
should not be behind-hand in emulating President Roosevelt's 
example and helping their own countrymen on the Island of St. 
Vincent. Sir Arthur said he feared, however, that the fashion of 
donating funds for the succor of the victims of the disaster on the 
French island set by King Edward might lead Englishmen to 
overlook their suffering kinsmen at St. Vincent. 

" C. T. Cox, the administrator of the Island of St. Kitts, in 
the Leeward group, spoke in the same strain as had Sir Arthur 
Ponsonby. Mr. Cox said : ' American philanthropy showers upon 
Martinique, yet no one in England has any idea how severely the 
inhabitants of the Island of St. Vincent must suffer, not only 
from loss of life, but the great loss of their trade, which in normal 
times is carried on on the hand to mouth basis.' Mr. Cox, who 
is on leave in England, expressed on behalf of the British admin- 
istrators of the West Indian Islands, the deepest sympathy for 
both the French and British sufferers from the volcanic eruptions. 

u Upan all sides bitter comparisons between the British Gov- 
ernment's lack of action in regard to the sufferers in the West 
Indies and the prompt and material response of the United States 
to the emergency are being made. 

"A. J. Balfour, the Government leader in the House of 



ST. VINCENT SH.-XEN TO ITS CENTRE. 217 

Commons, will anounce in Parliament to-day the intentions of the 
Government respecting the relief of the survivors of the Martin- 
ique and St. Vincent disasters. 

" Sir William Houlder, of Birmingham, has sent Joseph 
Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary, £500 towards the relief of 
the West Indian sufferers. 

" Messages of sympathy concerning the West Indian catas- 
trophes are being voted by the public bodies throughout the United 
Kingdom." 

EVACUATION OF ST. VINCENT SUGGESTED. 

The Legislature of Kingston, Jamaica, voted $5000 for the 
relief of the sufferers of St. Vincent and Martinique. During the 
debate Secretary Olivier said it was not certain the Imperial Govern- 
ment even now would see the desirability in the interests of the 
inhabitants of evacuating the Island of St. Vincent. He knew 
Great Britain years ago considered a scheme for distributing the 
inhabitants among the other islands, and thought the recent 
hurricane and present calamity should decide the course of the 
Government. 

The following statement was sent out from Washington, 
May 14th : 

"The Navy Department received despatches to-day from 
Commander McLean, of the United States cruiser Cincinnati, and 
Lieutenant McCormack of the Potomac, both of which vessels are 
at Fort-de-France, Martinique. Commander McLean reports that 
he arrived at Fort-de-France this morning, and, having learned of 
the disaster in St. Vincent, had sent the Potomac to that island. 
Lieutenant McCormack, who reached Martinique before Commander 
McLean, reports that St. Pierre had been destroyed with its 
inhabitants and sixteen vessels that were in the harbor ; that the 
surrounding villages were uninhabitable ; that the island was 
covered with the v/ork of destruction, and that provisions were 
needed within ten days to supply 50,000 refugees. 

" Beyond giving orders to push the preparations for carrying 
relief to the afflicted people of the islands, nothing was done here 



218 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

to-day. The resolution of the Senate passed yesterday to appro- 
priate an additional $300,000 for relief remains with the House 
Committee on Appropriations. There is no opposition to making- 
further appropriations, but members of the House Committee 
think it would be as well to wait and see the extent to which the 
$200,000 already appropriated and partially expended will reach 
in affording relief before taking further action in that direction. 

" If it be found that the sum appropriated is not sufficient 
there is no doubt that the House will promptly concur in the 
Senate resolution appropriating an additional $300,000. The fact 
that the United States is the nearest country from which sub- 
stantial relief can be sent to the afflicted people, and that supplies 
can be delivered within a few days, adds materially to the value of 
this relief. It is expected that the contributions being made 
by municipalities and individuals in this country and those from 
France and other European countries will speedily follow the sup- 
plies now on the way through the action of this Government, and 
these considerations have operated with the House Committee in 
suspending action on the Senate's resolution. 

" If it should become apparent, however, that the appropria- 
tion of an additional sum is required to meet the emergency, there 
will be no hesitation on the part of the committee in bringing in 
the Senate resolution, nor will there be any delay on the part of 
the House in concurring with it. 

RELIEF FROM PORTO RICO. 

" The War Department was advised by Colonel Buchanan, 
commanding the military forces in Porto Rico, that the steamer 
Sterling had sailed to-day from San Juan with subsistence stores 
of every kind and clothing. The latter includes blankets, coats, 
trousers, underclothing, shirts, stockings and hats. These sup- 
plies were taken from the army stores at Porto Rico, and will be 
immediately replaced. 

" The work of relief will be divided between the War and 
Navy Departments. The Navy will have full charge of the trans- 
portation, and the War Department will collect the supplies and 



ST. VINCENT SHAKEN 1U ITS CENTRE. 219 

deliver them ready for shipment. The collier Leonidas, now at 
Port Royal, will be despatched to Martinique, orders having been 
issued to-day to prepare her at once for receiving supplies. It is 
expected that the voluntary contributions from the people will 
make it necessary to despatch one or two vessels in addition to 
the Dixie. 

CARGO OF THE DIXIE. 

" A memorandum, prepared by Commissary General Weston, 
shows that the commissary supplies sent to Martinique and St. 
Vincent cost $59,404, and weighed 900 tons, equal to 1,800,000 
pounds. Allowing one pound to the ration, this quantity would 
well furnish subsistence for thirty-six days for 50,000 people. 
Among the articles provided are 982,200 pounds of rice, 214,300 
pounds of hard bread, 85,000 pounds of flour, 65,375 pounds of 
bacon, 171,100 pounds of codfish, 3024 pounds of baking powder, 
1440 two pound cans of currant jelly, 16,000 pounds of coffee, 
4000 pounds of tea, 80,000 pounds of sugar, 516 gallons of vine- 
gar, 4000 pounds of salt, 250 pounds of pepper, 6160 pounds of 
ham, 9600 cans of milk, 2400 cans of chicken soup, 2400 cans 
of beef soup, 1468 can openers. Three stores have been put in 
charge of Captain J. H. Gallagher, commissary, who will have 
personal change of their distribution. 

"An official of the War Department said that the food and 
clothing shipped on the Dixie would undoubtedly suffice for the 
material needs of the survivors until the French Government is 
enabled to provide means of permanent relief. 

" The President is very much gratified by the fact that every 
man named by him to act in connection with receiving contribu- 
tions for the sufferers had telegraphed an acceptance." 

The meeting in Paris called by the American Chamber of 
Commerce to raise funds for the relief of the West Indian suf- 
ferers was well attended, and over $2500 was subscribed in a few 
minutes to aid the destitute people at Martinique. The proceed- 
ings were brief and business-like. Henry Vignaud, the United 
States Charge d' Affaires, presided. President Francis Kimbel, of 
the Chamber of Commerce, explained the obiect of the meetino- 



220 ST. VINCENT SHAKEN TO ITS CENTRE. 

and H. Peartree moved, and H. Valois, seconded a resolution 
expressing the sympathy of the Americans of Paris with France 
in her sorrow. A committee was appointed to take charge of the 
American fund. 

Municipal organizations, the Chamber of Commerce, religious 
bodies and public organizations throughout France sent the Gov- 
ernment resolutions of sympathy concerning the Martinique 
disaster, and appointed committees to further the collection of 
funds to aid the West Indian sufferers. 

Barnum & Bailey's Circus turned over the receipts of one 
performance to the Martinique fund. 



CHAPTER IX. 

For Weeks Mont Pelee Belched Clouds of Smoke. 
Splendid and Appalling Phenomenon. — Incessant 
Roar of Awful Thunder. — Terrors Paralyze the 
Helpless Inhabitants. 

THE correspondent of the London Times at Paris, M. de Blo- 
witz, supplied his paper with an account of the St. Pierre 
disaster, telegraphed to him by a friend from Fort-de-France, Mar- 
tinique, by way of the Island of Malta. It said : 

" For three weeks Mont Pelee had been vomiting clouds of 
smoke, but the smoke seemed produced so normally that it was 
permissible for even those who were inclined to look on the dark 
side not to dread a catastrophe. At Fort-de-France, where the 
agitation of Mont Pelee attracted, as it went on, much attention, 
any anxiety which existed, gradually died down when, May 5, a 
violent eruption of mud, the hot ashes having been mingled with 
water in the crater, overwhelmed Guerin's works, killing twenty- 
three persons, and the river in the north of the island, now swol- 
len by a muddy torrent, noisily overflowed. On May 8, while 
there were still deliberations going on at Fort-de-France and St. 
Pierre, where the night had been passed in anguish and ignorance 
as to whether the eruption of mud was the precursor of or end of 
the disaster, St. Pierre was, within ten minutes, annihilated." 

Describing St. Pierre after it had been demolished, the cor- 
respondent said : 

"A portion of the upper town was razed by a cloud of fire, 
which increased, as it advanced, and crumbled everything in its 
course. In the lower town, near the harbor, a few walls, bearing 
traces of fire, remained standing. To the stupefaction of those 
familiar with the spot, the town clock remained intact, as if to 
show the precise moment of the disaster, and this sinister indica- 
tion deeply affected all who saw it. On the other hand, the tele- 
graph office and its contents were burned. Some fragments of 

221 



222 MONT PELEE CAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

the apparatus were thrown a hundred yards. Bodies, whose atti- 
tude were perceptible, were lying prostrate, with the bowels pro- 
truding, as though forced out by the tension of the heat, and with 
the backs partially carbonized. 

" It is a melancholy and most humiliating thing that the site 
of St. Pierre has to be guarded by the military, for numerous 
pirates from the neighboring islands were preparing to come and 
lay hands on anything of value." 

Under date of May 12th the following despatch came from 
Kingstown, Island of St. Vincent : 

"Scientists who have come here from the British Island of 
Trinidad predict another volcanic eruption on St. Vincent within 
a short time. The damage done to St. Vincent by the volcanic 
eruptions is now known to be considerably greater than was at 
first estimated. The present uneasiness of the inhabitants of 
the island is increased by the continuous agitation of the volcanic 
craters. 

"Friday morning, May 9, large stones and volcanic dust fell 
in the neighborhood of Georgetown for two hours, terrifying the 
people there. A cloud of hot vapor then passed over that part. 
Two eruptions of less magnitude than the first occurred Saturday, 
May 10, and since then fire and smoke have been ascending at 
intervals from the craters. Owing to the great heat it is still im- 
possible to approach the Soufriere volcano from the leeward side. 

PHYSICAL CHANGES ON THE ISLAND. 

"Interesting discoveries have been made regarding physical 
changes on St. Vincent resulting from the eruptions. Several 
fissures have been observed on La Soufriere. The estate of Walibou 
has disappeared, and has been replaced by an inlet of the sea. 
Richmond, an estate adjacent to Walibou, which was formerly flat 
and upon which there were several laborers' cottages, has been 
completely burned, and out of the estate there now rises a large 
ridge of ground. It is believed that the Rabacci crater, in the 
windward district of the island, has also erupted. 

" From a distance La Soufriere, although less violent, still 



Mont pelee gave timely warning. 22S 

wears a cap of dark clouds, which is lumined every now and then 
by flashes of red light. Volcanic dust fell here again yesterday. 
But fortunately there have also been several heavy rain showers, 
which have washed away the dust from the grass and restored 
verdure to the fields. The condition of the atmosphere is also 
apparently improving. 

" Owing to the destruction of several estates, the sugar and 
arrowroot industries of St. Vincent are seriously injured. Destitu- 
tion prevails among the laboring classes, who are without homes, 
without clothes and hungry. Nearly 2000 deaths on this island 
have been reported. Bodies have been discovered in houses in 
lifelike attitudes, presenting gruesome spectacles. There are de- 
composed bodies in many houses, and in order to guard against 
disease it will probably be necessary for the authorities to burn 
these dwellings. Owing to the many difficulties in the way of those 
who have the matter in hand, hundreds of bodies have not yet been 
interred. 

THREE THOUSAND REFUGEES IN KINGSTOWN. 

" No person has yet been able to approach within eight miles 
of the new crater of the Soufriere volcano. But judging from what 
can be seen from a considerable distance, the old lake at the sum- 
mit of the mountain has disappeared. The numerous fissures in 
the mountain's sides continue to throw out vapor, and the sub- 
terranean murmurings and tremblings indicate continued unrest. 
During the afternoon of Monday, May 12th, a dense volume of 
steam and smoke rose from the volcano and the whole island was 
covered by a peculiar mist. The inhalation of noxious vapors 
here is increasing the spread of sickness. 

" An ambulance corps from the island of Barbadoes has 
arrived here. Starvation threatens the poorer classes of the 
afflicted districts. Nearly every remaining negro hut in the 
Carib country contains decayed bodies, and the horrible stench is 
driving people away. Mutilated bodies are tied with ropes and 
dragged to the trenches, where they are buried. Sometimes bodies 
are cremated. 



224 MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

" The local government is feeding and sheltering about 3000 
refugees. Subscriptions for the relief of the sufferers are being 
raised in all the British West Indian Islands." 

From an officer of the steamer Solent, arrived at St. Kitts, 
British West Indies, from St. Pierre, May 15th, it was learned 
that Mont Pelee was still in eruption. Lava flowed in broad 
streams down the sides of the volcano. The entire island of Mar- 
tinique, continued in a state of panic. 

In St. Pierre the desolation was appalling. Bodies were 
being burned in a great pyre, upon which kerosene was steadily 
sprayed. In spite of this, it would be weeks before the place 
could be cleared of the dead. 

DEATH CAUSED BY GAS. 

Physicians who made examinations said that in most cases 
death was due to asphyxiation, and that the fire came later. It is 
now believed that Mont Pelee threw off a great gasp of some 
exceedingly heavy and noxious gas, something akin to fire damp, 
which settled upon the city of St. Pierre, and rendered the inhabi- 
tants insensible. This was followed by the sheet of flame that 
swept down the side of the mountain. This theory is accepted by 
the survivors who were taken from the ships in the harbor, as 
they said their first experience was one of faintness. 

Looting was being sternly suppressed. Soldiers formed a 
cordon about St. Pierre, and only those who had business there 
allowed within the lines. 

Great suffering continued in Martinique. Food was being re- 
ceived, but not in sufficient quantities to feed the crowds of refu- 
gees that flocked to Fort-de-France. The steamship Madiana, with 
food supplies purchased by the New York Chamber of Commerce, 
was near Fort-de-France. 

By those who arrived from Martinique, it was said that the 
dumb animals were wiser than man. Mont Pelee long gave 
warning of the storm of fire which it was storing up to hurl upon 
the island. Residents of St. Pierre saw and heard the warnings, 
and they refused to heed them. They remained, and the danger 




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MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 225 

which had long confronted them brought death to many thou- 
sands of human beings. 

Even before Mont Pelee began to rumble, late in April, live 
stock became uneasy, and at times were almost uncontrollable. 
Cattle lowed in the night. Dogs howled and sought the company 
of their masters, and when driven forth they gave every evidence 
of fear. Wild animals disappeared from the vicinity of Mont 
Pelee. Even the snakes, which at ordinary times are found in 
great numbers near the volcano, crawled away. Birds ceased 
singing, and left the trees that shaded the sides of Pelee. 

A great fear seemed to be upon the island, and though it was 

shared by the human inhabitants, they alone neglected to protect 

themselves. 

MAGNETIC DISTURBANCES. 

Otto H. Tittman, Superintendent of the United States Coast 
and Geodetic Survey, reported that the delicately suspended 
magnetic needles at the two coast and geodetic survey observa- 
tories, the ones situated at Cheltenham, Md., sixteen miles south- 
east of Washington, and the other at Baldwin, Kan., seventeen 
miles south of Lawrence, were disturbed beginning at about the 
time the catastrophe at St. Pierre is reported to have occurred. 
The wave of fire struck St. Pierre about 8 o'clock A. M., May 8, 
and a clock was stopped at 7.50 A. M. 

The magnetic disturbance began at Cheltenham Observatory 
at a time corresponding to 7.53 St. Pierre local mean time and at 
the Baldwin Observatory 7.55 St. Pierre time. The delicate appa- 
ratus installed at these observatories is so arranged that it regis- 
ters automatically by photographic means the minutest variations 
in the direction and intensity of the earth's magnetic force. It is 
a noteworthy fact that 110 seismological observatory had thus far 
reported a seismic disturbance during this eruption. 

No magnetic effects due to eruptions of distant volcanoes 
have ever been recognized at magnetic observatories. Purely 
mechanical vibrations caused by earthquakes have been often reg- 
istered by the delicately poised magnetic needles. The Gaute- 

malan earthquake of April 18, for instance, was recorded not only 
15-MAR 



226 MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

by seismographs at various places, but also at the Cheltenham 
magnetic observatory of the Coast Survey. This earthquake 
simply caused a mechanical vibration of the magnetic needles 
about their mean position of rest and lasted about one-half hour, 
whereas the disturbance of May 8 was a distinct magnetic effect, 
pulling the needles aside from their usual direction and lasting 
many hours. 

SUPPLIES ON THEIR WAY TO THE WEST INDIES. 

The following statement given out May 15th from Wash- 
ington showed the progress made in affording relief: 

" The probability is that the House Committee on appropria- 
tions will not take up the Senate resolution to appropriate 
additional money for the relief of the survivors of the West 
India disaster, unless advised by the President that further assist- 
ance from the Government is needed. Chairman Cannon had a 
conference to-day with the President, and as the result the House 
committee will hold the Senate resolution to await developments. 
It is the belief of the officials at the War Department that the 
supplies shipped to Martinique and St. Vincent on the cruiser 
Dixie from New York and on the collier Sterling from San Juan 
will be sufficient to meet the needs of the suffering people for fully 
a month. 

" The present efforts of the Government officials are being 
directed to supplementing the food supplies contributed by the 
people so as to make them immediately available. Secretary Root 
has authorized the officers of the commissary department at New 
York to purchase any additional supplies that may be necessary 
to supplement those contributed by private firms and individuals 
for shipment to the scene of the disaster by the cruiser Buffalo, 
now loading at New York, or by other vessels. Consequently, 
private donations of flour will be supplemented by a proper supply 
of yeast by the Government, and the same with codfish and other 
food supplies which require other articles to make them available 
as food. 

" The Government has already expended a little over $100,000 



MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 227 

of the available appropriation of $200,000, and as much of the balance 
as it is necessary will be utilized in supplementing the food supplies 
contributed by firms or individuals. As has been already stated, 
the Government officials anticipated the action of Congress in 
providing for the immediate relief of the situation, with the result 
that the Sterling sailed from San Juan with supplies within five 
hours from the time the appropriation became available, and the 
Dixie sailed from New York with additional supplies in exactly 
twenty-nine hours after the President signed the act making the 
appropriation. These two vessels carry more than thirty-six 
days' rations for 50,000 people, together with a proportionate 
amount of clothing, tentage, etc. 

"The supplies contributed by the people of the United States 
will be forwarded on the Buffalo, and on other vessels if necessary, 
and it is believed that it will not be necessary to expend any more 
of the appropriation except as indicated, to supplement the private 
supplies. These shipments were made to meet the pressing needs 
of the moment, and as they will provide for the material wants of 
the sufferers for over a month, it is believed that it may not be 
necessary for this Government to extend any further aid, as in 
the meantime the French Government will undoubtedly have 
made ample provision to meet the situation in a more permanent 
form. 

RELIEF MEASURES BY BRITISH GOVERNMENT. 

In a statement in the House of Commons, May 15th, regard- 
ing the measures proposed by the Government for the relief of 
the sufferers from the volcanic outbreaks in the West Indies, the 
Government leader, A. J. Balfour, in a reference to the steps taken, 
added : " We have taken account of the most sympathetic manner 
in which the United States Government have, to use their own 
language, expressed their desire to share in the work of aid and 
rescue. As to the manner in which this generous offer can be 
best acceded to the Government of the Windward Isles has 
already been consulted." 

Mr. Balfour referred to the ODenin^ of the relief fund at the 



228 MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

Mansion House by the Lord Mayor, Sir Joseph Dimsdale, m 
behalf of the sufferers of the Island of St. Vincent, and said that 
Canada, Jamaica and the other West Indian Islands, and the 
Island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, had promised to help 
with money and goods. 

"I have no doubt," he added, "that the other colonies will be 
equally generous. In addition, the Governor of the Windward 
Islands has been authorized to spend whatever sums are necessary, 
and the Imperial Government is prepared to supplement the 
contributions from other sources to whatever extent may be needed. 

" As regards the Island of Martinique, Lord Landsdowne, 
the Foreign Minister, May 12th, had instructed his Majesty's 
Ambassador at Paris, Sir Edmund Monson, to say that it would 
give the Government great pleasure to offer assistance in any 
manner most convenient to the sufferers from the calamity, and to 
say that if this country could help by the loan of doctors or the 
gift of medical comforts and provisions that we were prepared to 
act forthwith. 

" The French Government replied, accepting with gratitude 
the offer of his Majesty's Government. From the nature of the 
case, there must a distinction between our own colonies and those 
of another Power in the expenditure of money. But the Govern- 
ment, as stated, is prepared to give comforts and provisions to 
sufferers at Martinique." 

INDIFFERENCE OF THE PEOPLE OF PARIS. 

John Dillon, Irish Nationalist, who first raised the question 
in the House and suggested that the authorization to the Governor 
of the Windward Islands to spend money ought to be extended 
so as to provide for the relief of the Martinique sufferers, as he 
considered it would be most unfortunate if a distinction was made, 
tried to move an adjournment of the House on this point, but the 
motion was rejected. 

Writing from Paris, a gentleman made the following com- 
ments : 

" The American visitors cannot understand the seeming 



MONT RELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 229 

indifference of the Parisians in regard to the Martinique disaster. 
Beyond the half-masted flags over the Government offices, there 
are no signs of public mourning. The people flock to their usual 
resorts, attend the races, fill the theatres, none of which has been 
closed, no ' extras ' are issued, and there is no demand for them. 
But the evening papers containing bulletins of the automobile 
race are eagerly purchased. 

"The various funds being raised for the relief of the Mar- 
tinique sufferers now only total 303,000 francs, including the large 
subscriptions of the foreign potentates and the 20,000 francs from 
the municipality. The provinces seem more interested in the 
disaster than the capital. They are actively organizing commit- 
tees to raise funds, and there is much mourning at the seaports 
whose ships were destroyed. 

"A representative of the Associated Press has just returned 
from the Ministry of the Colonies. Besides the reporters, those who 
were in the waiting room, around the green board on which the 
official bulletins are posted, were almost exclusively natives of Mar- 
tinique. Occasionally a woman issued from the Minister's rooms 
in tears after learning the the fate of some loved one. 

THE GOVERNMENT CRITICISED. 

" The opposition is beginning to use the calamity as a club 
to beat the Government. The Nationalist Patrie says: 'We 
hoped that the fetes at Brest would have been countermanded on 
account of the catastrophe, over which foreign sovereigns, courts 
and parliaments are mourning more than our own authorities. 
The flags are half-masted, but the military bands are playing as if 
30,000 Frenchmen had not perished.' 

" An American who has resided here for a long time said : 
' The Parisians are constitutionally unable to become deeply 
interested in anything not connected with the capital. Have you 
not noticed that the papers are giving more space to the Hum- 
berts case than to the terrible loss of life at Martinique, while 
early this week they devoted pages to the death of Severo, the 
aeronaut, and only two columns to the West Indian catastrophe ? ' 



230 MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

' The Canadian Commissioner, Mr. Faber, called on the 
Minister of the Colonies, M. Decrais, and expressed, in behalf of 
the Government of Canada, the profound sympathy of the Cana- 
dian people with France in regard to the Martinique disaster, add- 
ing that he had received a cable message from the Minister of 
Finance, Mr. Fielding, to the effect that the Government of Canada 
had subscribed $25,000 to the relief fund, which amount was held 
at the disposition of M. Decrais." 

The French cruisers Bruix and Surcouf were ordered to 
sail from Brest with supplies for the inhabitants of the Island of 
Martinique. Quantities of food, wines, preserves, etc., were 
taken. 

EXAMPLE OF MAGNIFICENT GENEROSITY. 

Two messages, expressing sympathy regarding the loss of 
life at St. Vincent, were received at the Foreign Office in London 
here from the United States Government. One was private and 
the other official. The former was verbally presented by Mr. 
Choate, the United States Ambassador, whom Lord Lansdowne, 
the Foreign Secretary, warmly thanked for the official message. 
The cablegram from Secretary Hay to Ambassador Choate was as 
follows : 

" Express to British Government the sympathy of the Presi- 
dent and the people of this country in the affliction which has 
befallen St. Vincent, and our desire to share in the work of aid 
and rescue." 

The Colonial Secretary, Mr. Chamberlain, wrote to the 
Foreign Office, desiring Lord Lansdowne to very gracefully 
acknowledge and accept President Roosevelt's offer of assistance, 
and to inform Mr. Roosevelt that Mr. Chamberlain cabled to the 
Governor of St. Vincent asking for information as to the best 
method of utilizing the United States' offer. Until the Gov- 
ernor's answer was received nothing definite could be done. 

The Colonial Office especially asked the Associated Press to 
announce that any relief intended for the inhabitants of the 
Island of St. Vincent could be safely sent, and would be wisely 



MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 231 

distributed if addressed to the Governor of the Windward Islands, 
St. Vincent. 

The Associated Press was authorized to announce officially, 
on behalf of both the Foreign Office and the Colonial Office, that 
President Roosevelt's offer created the deepest gratitude. They 
declared that no occurrence of recent years had so brought home 
to them the deep and material friendship existing between the 
two Governments. 

Lord Monkbretton, Mr. Chamberlain's Secretary, said to a 
representative of the Associated Press : " We are, indeed, grateful 
to America. Our only difficulty is to insure an equitable distri- 
bution of the relief sent from all sources. Until we hear from 
the Governor of St. Vincent we believe it would be better to defer 
organizing a system of distribution, though anything sent to him 
will doubtless be well applied. Experience from previous disasters 
teaches us that unprincipled persons take advantage of charity, and 
that a man who has only had his pig sty burned down will demand 
a new house. We have heard nothing to-day, and find it difficult 
to communicate with St. Vincent." 

CONTRIBUTIONS IN LONDON. 

Mr. Chamberlain contributed $250 to the Mansion House 
West Indian relief fund. Much satisfaction was expressed at 
the opening of the Mansion House West Indian relief fund, while 
the tardiness of the action taken by the authorities was adversely 
commented on. Thus, the Westminster Gazette said . 

"Once again, in the cause of charity, our kinsmen across 
the Atlantic have gained a substantial start, and have set the Old 
Country an example of swift and magnificent generosity, from 
which we might well benefit." 

Capitalists were somewhat slow in subscribing to the Man- 
sion House fund. Only $25,000 had been received, of which 
amount the Bank of England contributed $5,000 and the Corpora- 
tion of London $2,500. 

St. Paul's Cathedral and other churches arranged for special 
collections on Sunday in aid of the fund. 



2oJ MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

The L3rd Mayor of Liverpool opened a West Indian relief 
fund. A telegram received announced the safety of Lady 
Llewelyn, the wife of the Governcr of the Windward Islands, 
and her family, who were staying 2.1 St. Vincent at the time of 
the eruption of the volcano there. 

A cable message from Kingston, Jamaica, confirmed the pre- 
vious despatch of the Associated Press referring to the possibility, 
owing to the frequent disasters, that the Government would 
decide to abandon St. Vincent and transfer the people there to 

other islands. 

FRANCE'S GRATITUDE. 

M. Jules Cambon, the French Ambassador at Washington, 
transmitted to Secretary Hay a long telegram from his Govern- 
ment expressing the gratitude of France for the energetic efforts 
of this country to relieve the distress of Martinique. The text 
of the Ambassador's communication is as follows: 

"Embassy of the French Republic, Washington, May 14, 
1902. — Mr. Secretary of State: I have just received the follow- 
ing telegram from my Government: 'The President and the 
Government of the French Republic, deeply moved by the sym- 
pathy evinced by the President, the Congress and the nation of 
the United States toward the sufferers of the earthquake in Mar- 
tinique, charge you to be their interpreter in expressing the 
gratitude cherished by the entire French nation for their generous 
assistance, the remembrance of which will live forever.' 

" It is my great honor, Mr. Secretary of State, that I should 
be called to tender to you the thanks of France for all that the 
United States is doing on this sorrowful occasion, and I should 
hi infinitely obliged to you if you would convey this expression 
to all in the Government and Congress who have given evidence 
of such noble sentiments of humanity. 

"Be pleased to accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurances 
of my high consideration. "JULES CAMBON. 

" The Hon. John Hay, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C." 

On board the Danish cruiser Valkyrien off St. Pierre, May 11, 
a correspondent wrote ; 



MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 233 

" Where the city of St. Pierre stood there is to-day a molten 
hecatomb of lava, which proclaims the horrible story of the fate of 
the people of the city in a stench that was manifest in spite of the 
sulphur-laden air while the ship was yet twenty miles at sea. 

"It is possible to penetrate the outskirts of the city from the 
south. Where the houses were more thickly built the river of 
liquid fire that poured down the side of Pelee had its greatest 
depths. It is now hardening, a lake of hot pitch, cinders and 
great bowlders hiding the bodies of the thousands it engulfed in 
an indescribably horrible doom. 

"On every hand there are funeral pyres. Scenes beggaring 
description are enacted by the men who are striving to make some 
disposition of the dead that they may not remain a menace to the 
living. In the narrow streets, in the gardens and fields, partly 
covered by the deposit of ashes that settled after the whirlwind of 
fire, hundreds of bodies are lying. 

CORPSES PLACED IN PILES. 

" Wherever there is a spot that is easily reached little groups 
of men are engaged in dragging together the bodies of the victims. 
The corpses are piled together. Coal oil is poured over the wood 
that has been torn from the beached vessels and the horrible work 
of destro} T ing the menace of pestilence goes on. Above and 
beyond the present horror there is in the minds of those who have 
taken up the work of destroying the corpses a still greater horror. 
The plague stalks in the wake of the eruption of the volcano. 

"An hour ago I left the Deputy Governor, M. L/Heurre. 
Reeking with the fumes of coal oil, his clothing in rags, his face 
showing the horror of the work in which he was engaged, he 
stepped back after applying the match to a dreadful pile. He is 
Virecting the work in person. He explained to me that it needed 
but little direction. Those who had volunteered for the labor of 
salvaging the city were inspired by the common desire to get rid 
of the corpses. 

" k It is no longer a disagreeable duty that we do altogether 
from motives of humanity,' he said to me. ' It is a duty to the 



234 MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

living. The thousands of unburied dead must be disposed of or 
the island will be given over to the plague and blotted from the 
earth, practically. 

" ' We have not the material for the work. We have taken all 
the coal oil that was procurable ; we have seized all the wood that 
could be had. Alas ! it would take a forest of wood and a lake of 
oil to do the work. There are still countless corpses in every 
direction, and unless we are soon provided with means to expedite 
the work of cremation we will be driven out. 

" ' It has not yet been possible to approach the center of the 
city and the salvaging has not been progressing. It is not wealth 
that we are seeking, but trying to render the place habitable to go 
on with the work. It would be impossible to do anything at all 
but for the despairing energy of the men who have lost family and 
fortune in the catastrophe. I am here to see the body of my chief, 
the Governor, who met his death at his post. I have no means of 
telling just how many died in the overwhelming of the city.' 

"The story is told in two words : There are but two survivors. 
Thousands died in the deadly storm of fire and ashes that 
extended miles beyond the reach of the lava spread. 

" The work here is carried on in the face of such a death as 
was the portion of those who died here last week. That cloud 
hangs over the summit of the mountain. At times there is a rum- 
bling and a flame leaps a mile into the air. These outbreaks are 
generally followed by a shower of stones and hot mud, but no 
more lava reaches the site of the city. 

TREASURE IS RECOVERED. 

"Treasure to the amount of two and one-half million francs 
has been found in the vaults of the Bank of Martinique and is 
being put on board ship. 

" And even while the awful work of the men who are building 
funeral pyres is going on, ghouls have forced their way into the city 
and are robbing those homes of the dead that may be entered. 

" Guards have been posted now and the soldiers have orders 
to shoot any person acting suspiciously. Negroes from the planta- 



MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 235 

tions, having lived down their dread of death, are committing 
unspeakable crimes. 

" Corpses have been mutilated for the sake of the jewelry on 
them. Desperate chances have been taken by men who fight their 
way through still hot ashes to get into houses that are the tombs 
of their former owners. 

"Famine, too, menaces the people here. At present they 
have a little supply of food, but it must be replenished in a few 
days or they must give up their work. 

" On board the Valkyrien, which has between its decks about 
850 refugees, picked up along the northeast coast of Martinique, 
is one of the two known survivors of all the people of St. Pierre. 

SAVED IN PRISON. 

" The grim irony of fate speaks in him. His name is Monat. 
He was a prisoner in the city prison. From him was had th 1 
only story that has been told of the overwhelming of the city. 
Monat is a negro, a native of Martinique. He speaks French 
fluently — as do all the natives. He was serving a short sentence 
in the jail. 

"He was ill of a fever the night before the eruption and to 
that fact he is indebted for being alive to-day. He begged the 
jailor to permit him to spend the night in the dungeon of the 
prison, where he might allay the burning of the fever on the cold 
stones. He was at liberty to walk about the cellars of the jail 
when the end came for every other living thing in St. Pierre 
except himself and and an old woman, who has since died. 

"'It was early in the morning that it occurred,' he said, ' I 
had been in the jail yard and went back into the cellar. The air 
was stifling. There was a cloud over Pelee, but that was not 
unusual. I went back into the cellar to get out of the heat and 
was near the foot of the steps leading down from the yard when 
there was an explosion. It was as though all the thunder that 
ever roared and all the cannon in the world had been set off 
at once. 

" ' I fell on my face, knocked down by the shaking of the earth 



236 MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

by the explosion. I could not have lain there a moment when I 
recovered my senses. There was a roaring sound as though the 
houses were being torn to pieces. 

" 'It was perfectly black all about me, and down through the 
door of the cellar there was a blast of wind coming that was like 
a flame. I thought I had died and was in hell. 

" 'The door of the cellar swung shut and I lay still. The 
heat drove me mad. I could not stay there. I found the door 
and opened it. 

" 'The wind was blowing a gale and so hot that I could not 
breathe. It was not so dark, but the air was full of ashes and I 
went blind. I dipped a rag in a water bucket and tied it over my 
face, then went out. 

" 'Tim roaring was fearful but it was peace compared to the 
thunder that came from Pelee every few minutes. I made my way 
on my hands and knees to the back wall of the jail 3*ard. I took 
the rag off my eyes and saw that the wall had been thrown down 
and had fallen into the bay ; the prison was on the edge of the 
water. The front part of the jail was moving along with other 
houses. I thought I was mad. 

TRIED TO CRAWL ON BEACH. 

" ' I could see about me for some distance. There was not a 
being in sight. A dreadful fire was flashing from the houses, that 
seemed to be covered with hot mud. The heat made me frantic 
and I threw myself down over the broken wall into the water, or 
where the water had been. 

" ' I fell on the stones and broke my leg. The tide had gone 
out, but it came roaring in a tidal wave, and I was thrown up on 
the stones of the broken wall. 

" 'I tried to crawl along the beach and fell into what looked 
like a mud puddle. It was burning hot and nearly burned my 
arm off. 

" ' I found a place under a rock where there was some water 
that was not hot. I stayed there that day and all night. I could 
see out but saw no one. 



MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 237 

'" A great stream of mud was running over where St. Pierre 
had been and into the sea. It sent up clouds of steam, and it wet 
the ashes and they fell like rain. 

'The next day I crawled south along the beach. I saw no 
man nor woman, nor even a dog. I thought I would drown 
myself, but I must have fainted, for I knew nothing until I was 
aboard the ship.' 

" A man who saw the eruption from the deck of the Por- 
tuguese bark Oporto, and who escaped death, after being thrown 
overboard, by fastening himself to the bowsprit of the vessel, 
which stood out of the water when the bark went down, tells some- 
thing of the story of the eruption in lucid intervals. The man 
has been insane at times from his sufferings. He was at work on 
the deck of the bark at 7.30 on the morning of the cataclysm of 
fire. 

" 'I heard first a roar that rent the air and sky and made the 
masts of the bark to quiver. The ship shivered as though she 
were alive. I cannot describe the noise, for it left me senseless 
for an instant. When I stood up the ship was careening from 
side to side. The whole sky was black except over Mont Pelee. 

GREAT SHAFT OF FLAME. 

" 'There was a great upright shaft of flame that must have 
reached for miles, and could be seen as though it were night. I 
could see leaping from one side of the pillar of fire a great streak 
of black mud. While I am telling it to you the stream reached 
the city. 

' The bark was only a few fathoms from the shore and I 
could see the people rushing about. Hundreds had run out 
of their houses at the first awful roar. Most of them were kneel- 
ing in the streets. It only seemed an instant before the mud and 
ashes begun to fall into the bay. St. Pierre, with all its houses, 
all the people praying and running about in the streets, all — ■ 
everything, had been swallowed up by the stream of mud. 

" 'The stream reached the bay at the same instant that the 
mud and ashes and stones began to fall out of the sky. There 



238 MONT PELEE GAVE TIMELY WARNING. 

was an awful hissing sound as the black tide rushed into the 
water. The sea rushed back from it, the air was seething with 
mud, steam and rocks— and it was all over. I don't remember 
anything more of it.' 

"It is understood from masters of vessels who have been in 
the neighborhood of the island of St. Vincent that the St. Pierre 
horror has been repeated there. 

"No man has yet been able to effect a landing on the island 
and it is known that Soufriere has been in a state of eruption for 
several days. All here who have the courage to speculate have 
given themselves to the idea that the entire population of St. 
Vincent has been obliterated, as was that of St. Pierre. The 
refugees on board the Valkyrien say that there is not a green 
thing living in the northern part of Martinique. 

"So far as the shores of the island can be seen from the Val- 
kyrien this is true of other portions of the island, and the ashes 
from the volcano have made a barren and horrible waste of what 
was a week ago one of the garden spots of the world. The Val- 
kyrien will go from here to Fort-de-France, and possibly to St. 
Vincent." 



CHAPTER X. 

New Horrors Revealed Daily — Mont Pelee Again in Active 
Eruption. — Rivers and Lakes Dried Up. — Hissing Pits 
of Lava. — Physical Changes Made by the Outbreaks. 

CROM Fort-de-France it was learned on May 16th that the de- 
■*■ scriptions of the ruin wrought by the volcanic outburst of 
Mont Pelee fell far short of the reality : 

" Most remarkable are the topographical changes wrought by 
the eruption of Mont Pelee. Subterranean activity is by no means 
ended, and in the northern part of the island wide crevasses are 
forming, cutting off the northern from the southern half of the 
island. A remarkable change in the ocean bed off the northern 
coast has been noted. In some places the lead sinks fully thirty 
fathoms deeper in the sea than it did previous to the eruption be- 
fore finding bottom. This easily explains why cable communica- 
tion with the island was cutoff. New craters are forming on Mont 
Pelee in the district traversed by Riviere Blanche (White River). 

" Morne la Croix, the peak of Mont Pelee, is the centre of 
most curious electrical phenomena. At times the air is cut and 
slashed with electric discharges, and during the nights of May n 
and 12 a ball of fire and luminous clouds lighted up the ruined 
country for miles. There is a fresh flow of lava in the Riviere 
Blanche, and Basse Pointe has been evacuated on account of the 
heavy, unceasing rain of cinders and ashes. 

" Work in St. Pierre is proceeding slowly and under circum- 
stances of the utmost difficulty. Attracted by the hope of loot, 
bands of pillagers have invaded the ruins. Troops have been 
placed on guard, with orders to deal with the vandals as befits 
their shameless crimes. Twenty-seven women and three men 
have been brought to Fort-de-France and lodged in jail on charges 
of robbery. Two men who were caught in the act of pillaging 
and on the appearance of a squad of troops sought to escape in 
flight were shot. 

239 



240 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

" It is reported here that an English officer, found to have 
stolen the sacred altar vessels from the ruins of the Cathedral in 
St. Pierre was put under arrest and taken to St. Lucia on board 
the United States cruiser Cincinnati. His name and connections 
cannot be learned. 

" Work in the ruins is dangerous. Crumbling walls are a 
serious menace to working parties. It is urged by many that 
what remains of the city should be leveled with dynamite. Even 
when bodies are found their identification is difficult or impossible. 
Inhabitants of the districts near St. Pierre have been forced to quit 
their homes on account of the odors from the dead and gaseous 
emanations from the volcanic craters. 

" Public services of all kinds are sadly impeded by the heavy 
task that has fallen upon the authorities in distributing in the 
southern part of the island the refugees from the northern part. 
On May iSth, 653 bodies were buried. Funeral services were held 
in the Cathedral of Fort-de-France. The local authorities, officers 
from the French cruiser Suchet, the American navy tug Potomac 
and the German cruiser Falke were present. 

PANIC IN ST. VINCENT. 

" No one has been able to approach nearer than five miles to the 
crater of the St. Vincent Soufriere, which still shows signs of 
activity. Scientists believe that the volcano has not stopped 
emptying, and there is general expectation that there will be 
another and severe explosion. The island is constantly in a 
tremble. Earthquakes follow one another in quick succession. 
They are not sufficiently severe to do great damage, but they fill 
the inhabitants with fear, and if it were possible to obtain trans- 
portation it is safe to say that St. Vincent would be depopulated in 
twentv-four hours. 

" The Soufriere seems to have completely changed its shape. 
Its top has disappeared, and from a distance the mountain looks as 
though a mighty thumb had been pressed upon it, crushing down 
its apex. Where a pretty blue lake of great depth existed a fort- 
uieht ago there is now a bubbling cauldron of molten lava. Above 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 241 

this clouds of smoke and steam constantly rise. Over the entire 
island spreads a peculiar mist, which is injurious to the eyes, 
and which contains noxious properties that cause much dis- 
tress. 

"Some of the huts built by the Carib Indians still stand, and 
in ever}- one there are bodies. Scattered about in the open also 
there are hundreds of bodies, blistering in the terrible heat. The 
result is that an effluvia spreads over the Island of St. Vincent 
which is nauseating, and which threatens a pestilence that will 
further decimate the population. Such precautions as are possible 
are being taken to ward off fevers, but the most that can be done is 
very little. 

" Burial parties have been sent out. Bodies are being dragged 
with ropes to trenches for interment, and cremation has been re- 
sorted to. One great trouble lies in the fact that many of the 
bodies are too close to the Soufriere to be approached. Until the 
volcano quiets down they must remain to add to the stench that is 
now almost unbearable. 

STARVATION EXISTS. 

"Starvation is a condition that actually exists in St. Vincent. 
Three thousand refugees are being fed and sheltered by the Gov- 
ernment near Georgetown and Kingstown, but other thousands are 
in need of food. Supplies are coming in, but not fast enough to 
meet the demands. It is reported that relief shiios are hastening 
to Kingstown, and in a few more days it is believed that there will 
be food in plenty. 

" The water famine is causing more distress than the lack of 
food. Many of the former supplies of water have disappeared. 
Rivers that were running bank full before the explosion of Sou- 
friere are now dry. Lakes have evaporated, and only in the south 
half of the island is there any living water that can be reached. 
Down the east slope of the volcano a stream of water can be seen 
flowing, but no man has approached close enough to it to tell 
whether it is fresh or impregnated with sulphur, as much of the 

water of the island is. 
i6-mar 



242 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

" The United States cruiser Cincinnati arrived at St. Vincent 
from Martinique two days ago. Officers report that the war vessel 
passed through heavy showers of ashes. They say that Mont 
Pelee is still blazing, and that the danger from it has not passed. 
These officers insist that the American supplies must be distrib- 
uted by the American Consul, or, at least, by an American 
committee. The Martinique funds are exhausted, and persons 
bringing relief are far from pleased with the attitude of the local 
committee that have had charge of affairs in Fort-de-France. 
There is a strange apathy exhibited there which Americans can- 
not understand. 

"An election set for Sunday, May n, was actually held in 
Fort-de-France, and the contest at the polls was as keenly con- 
tested as would have been possible had Mont Pelee not killed 
30,000 persons, a score of miles away, just three days earlier. 

PITIABLE CONDITION OF THE REFUGEES. 

"A relief expedition sent to Martinique has just returned to 
Port of Spain, after delivering the supplies sent from here. One 
of the members of the expedition gave this interview : ' We 
arrived at Fort-de-France early in the morning of May 12, and 
at once made arrangements for landing our supplies. The Act- 
ino- Governor expressed keen appreciation of our mission, and, 
of course, the ordinary customs duties were not collected. The 
food was greatly needed. We saw hundreds of refugees enter- 
ing the city, some of them without anything except the clothes 
worn by them, and a few carrying their belongings on their 
heads. They were apparently dazed, and did not know what to 
do to care for themselves. The Governor said medical supplies 
were not needed, as there were no injured. We were struck with 
the apparent apathy of the inhabitants of Fort-de-France. Their 
calmness while speaking of the catastrophe was something 
remarkable. 

" ' It is impossible to give an adequate description of the 
conditions we found existing in Martinique. The country for 
miles around St. Pierre is covered with sand and ashes. The 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 243 

stench that conies from the bodies in St. Pierre is so strong that it 
is very offensive five miles out at sea. 

" ' Our party landed at St. Pierre, but we were able to pene- 
trate only about 300 yards. All became ill. We had disinfec- 
tants, but they did not seem to make an impression upon the 
stench. 

" ' Mont Pelee was still belching smoke and lava. Scientists 
who made a study of the situation say the heat must have been 
about 300 degrees. The bodies were incinerated, and the stone 
walls were crumbled.' " 

EFFICIENT RELIEF WORK. 

" I covered St. Vincent yesterday on horseback, visiting fifty 
miles of the stricken territory," said a correspondent, writing 
from St. Lucia, "with its terrible scenes of devastation. The eov- 
ernment has buried 1300 victims. One hundred are in the three 
hospitals at Georgetown. Refugees are flocking into Georgetown 
and Kingstown, as the blacks are panic-stricken. The burned 
living cattle wander in agony on the roads. Water is scarce, and 
a vast area of crops is under ashes. The entire northern section 
of the island is covered with a depth of ashes that ranges from a 
coating at Kingstown to eighteen inches near the volcano. 

"The minimum of the dead is put at 1700 and the maximum 
at 2000. It will soon be thousands. The destitute in the rural 
districts are everywhere suffering. Native laborers refuse triple 
pay for burials. The disaster radically differs from that at St. 
Pierre in the great area and almost entirely rural districts affected. 
Georgetown, which is nine miles from Soufriere, has been badly 
damaged by the rain of stone and ashes and by lightning. 
, " Among the incidents noted is that of a school teacher and 

his wife and family of ten killed together. On the road to 
Waterloo in one room twenty-six people were killed. One married 
couple were found dead hand-in-hand, but their baby was alive 
lying at its mother's breast. 

"Hundreds of native shacks were burned by the lightning. 
There are from one to three bodies in each. We saw horrible 



244 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

scenes in the hospitals, where the wounded were dying on the 
floors, the native nnrses being utterly inefficient. One hospital was 
lighted by two tiny lamps and by twisted rags in saucers of kero- 
sene. The coffin makers were hammering away in the rooms 
adjoining, and the dying had no beds to lie on. 

" The British Government officials are active and claim they 
can handle the relief measure alone. This is in marked contrast 
to the French outfit at Martinique, where little has as yet been 
officially done. Captain McCormack, of the Potomac, offered 
Governor General Llewellyn the sympathy of the American 
Government and the assistance of the Potomac and its food 
supplies. Governor Lleywellyn in answer said that in Martin- 
ique the needs were greater, as the sister British colonies were 
helping St. Vincent. The British cruiser Indefatigable brought 
twenty-five tons of supplies from Trinidad, and there are more 
coming. The Potomac took Governor Llewellyn's despatches and 
proceeded to St. Lucia." 

AMERICAN SUPPLIES REACH MARTINIQUE. 

Secretary Moody received the following cablegram, May 
16th, from Commander T. C McLean, of the Cincinnati: 

" St. Lucia, Mav 25. — Six thousand refugees have come into 
Fort-de-France. Three thousand have come into Kingstown. 
Northern portions Martinique and St. Vincent very many people 
perished ; other suffering for food and water. Very great difficulty 
relieving and saving so many people scattered over large areas. 
Number of people to be fed and cared for said to be reduced by 
mortality. Have coaled here. Return to Fort-de-France and 
St. Pierre to-day. Will endeavor to recover records of American 
and British Consulates at St. Pierre. If remains of officials are 
found will bury with military honors." 

Later the Department received a cablegram announcing the 
arrival of the Cincinnati at Fort-de-France. A telegram also 
was received, announcing that the collier Sterling, which took 
a quantity of stores from San Juan, Porto Rico, had arrived at 
Fort-de-France. 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 245 

Late in the afternoon the Navy Department received an un- 
signed cablegram, dated at St. Lucia, and apparently from Lieu- 
tenant McCormack, of the Potomac. It read as follows : "Island 
St. Vincent devastated north of line Georgetown, east Chateau 
Belaire, west. Sufferers, country people. Dead, 1700; destitute, 
5000. Immediate relief supplied by local Government. Desti- 
tution will continue several months." 

RUINS OF ST. PIERRE INFESTED WITH PILLAGERS. 

Says another despatch from Fort-de-France : 

" St. Pierre is infested with pillagers, who are forcing safes. 
The authorities are taking severe measures. Fifty of the ghouls 
have already been arrested and imprisoned in Fort-de-France, 
where the population wanted to lynch them. The criminals were 
sentenced to five years' imprisonment. 

" The Government has appointed accredited representatives 
of the commercial community to explore the ruins in St. Pierre 
for valuable books and papers. An English officer, accused of 
robbing the sacred vessels in the ruins of the church, has been 
taken to St. Lucia on board the United States cruiser Cincinnati, 
and will be placed under arrest there. Troops have been detailed 
to guard the ruins of St. Pierre, with orders to fire upon pillagers. 

"There were 663 bodies interred yesterday, making a total 
of 1200 buried thus far. The work of interment is presenting 
great difficulties. Funeral services in memory of victims of the 
volcanic eruption were held to-day in the presence of the officers 
of the French ship Suchet, the German man-of-war Falke, the 
Danish ship Valkyrien and the United States Navy tug Potomac. 
Intense emotion was displayed by the audience. The inhabitants 
of the north part of the island are now distributed in the various 
districts of the south. Some Italian sailors were saved who were 
thought to have perished at the time of the eruption.'' 

Another correspondent writes as follows : 

"La Trinite, Island of Martinique, F. W. I. (Filed at Fort- 
de-France), May 16. — Since early this morning I have been travel- 
ing over the desolated eastern portion of the island and am heart 



246 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

and brain sick at the sights witnessed. The smoke of Mont Pelee 
obscures the landscape, and showers of ashes continue to fall inter- 
mittently. On the lower levels of the road I encountered many 
fleeing from their homes. Property owners are arming to protect 
their estates from bands of robbers who are trading on the chaotic 
condition of the country. 

" In company with the Mayor of La Trinite and Fernand 
Clerc, a candidate for the French Assembly and a prominent agri- 
culturist, I spent much time encouraging and pacifying the 
country people, who are now in a state of panic. The police and 
soldiery also lent active service, and if there is no further erup- 
tions quiet will soon be restored. I saw at the hospital of Trinite 
Edouard Lassere and Paul Simmonet. They told me they were 
driving to St. Pierre on the morning of the great catastrophe and 
got caught in the very edge of the cyclone of gas and flame that 
came out of Pelee's new crater. So close were they to the burning, 
suffocating cloud that their mules and driver were killed by it, 
and they — Lassere and Simmonet — were badly burned. 

SAVED BY A NEEDLE. 

" M. Clerc told me that, noticing a violent oscillation of the 
needle of the barometer, he hurried with his family to Morne 
Rouge an hour before the disaster. M. Bauzalan, a manager of 
one of the Clerc estates, met a bitter fate, he and his family of 
eighteen being completely wiped out. 

" I am sending this cable to Fort-de-France and am pushing 
on toward the north crater. There are plenty of scenes of volcanic 
violence and danger in the upper reaches, but so complete has 
been the destruction of life that I fail to perceive any signs of 
destitution. 

" After leaving La Trinite and Grande Anse, I entered the 
real zone of volcanic effect. 

" Everything here was covered with a layer of mud, unlike the 
dust seen in the regions below. Judging from what I saw here I 
should imagine that great streams of fire and gas fell toward St. 
Pierre and water and mud nearer to the crater and toward the 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 247 

north. At noon I reached Morne Rouge, several miles from St. 
Pierre. 

" Here I met the Bishop of the Catholic Church, who was 
attending to everything, although deserted by the other clergy. 
I gave him a hundred francs with which to succor his poor people. 

"Mont Pelee has again broken into activity, and threatens 
further destruction to the island of Martinique. Work among 
the ruins of St. Pierre and the suburban village of Carbet has 
ceased, the searchers and the burial parties having been forced to 
flee to escape the outpouring from the volcano's crater. Many 
refugees had returned to their homes, believing that Pelee had 
quieted. They are now again in full flight, and the distress is 
increased. The rural police, who have been patrolling the 
northern end of the island, have left their posts. 

" Search was being made by a party from the United States 
Navy tug Potomac for the body of Thomas T. Prentis, the United 
States Consul at St. Pierre, who, with all the members of his 
family, perished under the sweep of flame that came down from 
Mont Pelee the morning of May 8th. 

AMERICANS FLEE FROM MONT PELEE. 

"That search has now been abandoned, and the Americans have 
returned to Fort-de-France. They report that the volcano is in a 
most vicious mood, and that before they left St. Pierre ashes and 
mud were raining upon the ruins. It is now believed that the 
body of Consul Prentis cannot be recovered. Governor L'Huerres 
intended making a tour of inspection of the island to-day, but 
owing to the renewed activity of Mont Pelee, the trip was not a 
success. 

" On the French cruiser Suchet the party proceeded to St. 
Pierre, intending to spend several hours there. It was seen that 
Mont Pelee was smoking, but the conditions were not deemed 
dangerous. Boats were lowered and all of the officials started for 
the shore. Before a landing was made the volcano exploded with 
a terrific noise. The force of the eruption was not in the direc- 
tion of St. Pierre, and no damage was done, but the investigators 



248 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

fled precipitately back to the Suchet, which immediately put out 
to sea. It was at this time that the workers among the ruins 
abandoned their labors, and took refuge in flight. 

" After leaving St. Pierre the Suchet turned northward, and 
at half speed made its way along the coast, taking soundings as 
it went. It was discovered that the bed of the ocean has been 
radically changed by the upheavals that have accompanied the 
explosions of the volcanoes. In some places the bed of the ocean 
has dropped beyond the reach of the deepest plummet. At other 
points rocks have been forced to the surface that do not appear on 
any chart, and which have never before been noted. 

"Three days ago when I started on a trip through the island 
there was panic everywhere. I met men, women and children 
struggling toward Fort-de-France. All were so badly frightened 
that they seemed dazed. They were almost afraid to look behind 
them. As I rode back to Fort-de-France yesterday I met many 
of these refugees who were returning to their homes. Some were 
even sroins: to the sides of Mont Pelee. Now there is once more 
panic, even in Fort-de-France. 

THE COLLIER STERLING ARRIVES. 

" From Puerto Rico has arrived the United States collier 
Sterling, with 150 tons of supplies. There is now little distress 
here, most of the urgent needs of the refugees having been filled. 
From all of the West Indian Islands provisions have been sent to 
Martinique, and from the United States such large quantities of 
provisions are being forwarded that all danger of famine is past. 

" There is danger, however, of pestilence, and unless thorough 
precautious are taken there will be an epidemic of disease. It has 
been estimated that there were four hundred explosions within the 
volcano between May 4 and May 8, each being followed by an 
eruption of lava, mud and ashes. Since May 10 there have been 
many alarms, but no eruption accompanied by a loss of life until 
to-day, and the extent of the present trouble cannot now be told. 

' k According to the Bishop of the northern province, no mud 
or lava fell upon the country districts, which were, however, freely 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 249 

besprinkled with ashes, which, being analyzed, show that they 
are of mineral origin. 

" Mont Pelee probably gave a demonstration of a force of 
which the world before knew nothing. The mysterious rush down 
the volcano's side is now attributed to electricity. It is believed 
that it was an electric flame, traveling with cyclonic force and 
r rapidity. It cut a swath as clean as could have been accomplished 
by a mechanical agency. 

" Outside of the immediate heat zone the damage was not 
great. An iron sugar roller standing in the path of the flame was 
affected in a most singular manner. One-half was melted, while 
the other half was scarcely touched by the intense heat. 

" Onty about one-fifth of the entire area of the island was 
touched by the destructive power of the volcano. Ashes fell else- 
where, but already vegetation is forcing its way up through the 
top mantle, and a hard rain will wash away the eruptive matter, 
except in that part of the island lying directly at the foot of Mont 
Pelee. The streams are flowing as usual, and there is no longer 
any danger of a water famine. Cattle are suffering for want of 
food, but this will not last long. 

RECOVERING FROM THE SHOCK. 

" In the absence of symptoms of further eruptions of the Sou- 
friere volcano, the inhabitants of St. Vincent are gradual^ recover- 
ing from the shock of the disaster. Most horrifying details of the 
condition of the Carib country, where dead cattle and human 
bodies lay several days during the agitation, are told. Although 
the number of deaths in the island due to the disaster is estimated, 

$ .... 

judging from the missing inhabitants, at two thousand, up to the 
night of May 13 only 1268 bodies had been buried. The undis- 
covered bodies are probablycovered with lava. 

" In a small shop, which was opened three days after the 
eruption, eighty-seven bodies were discevered, and not one of them 
was recognizable. In the dwelling house of the manager of one 
of the estates thirty bodies were found in a similar condition, and 
other terrible discoveries have been made. The district is being 



250 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

rapidly cleared. Many persons are suffering from fractured skulls, 
caused by the stones thrown from the volcano, and from burns. 

" There was a slight convulsion May 17th. It was followed 
by a small discharge of smoke, but this caused no alarm. The 
weather is fine and the excitement is abating. The bed of lava 
in the windward district is still hot. The abyss, 500 feet 
deep and 200 feet wide, which existed between Langly Park and 
Habbacci, is filled with lava, and the physical features of the 
mountain on either side are apparently more beautiful than before 
eruption. 

" A curious circumstance connected with the eruption is that 
the earthquakes were not general, notwithstanding the smallness 
of the island. In Chateau Belair the convulsions preceding the 
eruption of May 7 were almost continuous. In Kingstown and 
Georgetown sixty shocks were felt in four hours. 

SIXTEEN SQUARE MILES OF LAVA. 

"Although attended with smaller loss of life, the eruption 
of the Soufriere was not less violent than that of Mont Pelee, in 
the island of Martinique. The area covered by lava here com- 
prises sixteen square miles. The fact that the loss of life and 
damage to property in St. Vincent were smaller than in Martinique 
is due to the position of the Soufriere and the smaller population 
of the district, the mountain overhanging sugar and arrowroot 
estates and a couple of thinly populated villages. 

" Officials of St. Vincent are busy relieving the sufferers and 
housing the injured and homeless. The problem now facing the 
government is how to provide permanently for the natives who lost 
all they possessed. Peasant settlements may be formed on the 
estates which the government possesses, but money is needed to 
assist the settlers to build houses thereon and to provide them 
with sustenance during the cultivation of their land." 

Weird and interesting were the experiences of the crew of the 
British steamship Horace, of the Lamport & Holt line, which 
reached New York from St. Lucia May 18th, and later in the day 
was berthed at the Woodruff Stores, at the foot of Joralemon 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 251 

street, Brooklyn. The Horace carried a large cargo of coffee and 
was commanded by Captain Byrnes. 

She touched at Barbados, and had a decidedly interesting 
time in the vicinity of Martinique on Friday, May 9th, when 
despite the fact that she was one hundred and twenty-five miles 
from Mont Pelee, the ship's decks were covered with lava dust to 
the depth of several inches. It was only through what seemed 
providential accident that the steamer's engines were saved from 
disastrous injury as a result of the storm of lava dust which 
covered them. 

The Horace brought the information that the visitation of 
St. Pierre was looked upon by the superstitious islanders as a 
judgment of God. 

" While in St. Lucia," said an officer of the vessel, "I heard 
several of the residents telling one another that they believed the 
destruction of St. Pierre was a terrible punishment sent by the 
Almighty on account of the wickedness of the city. I don't know 
about the Divine retribution, but I do know that St. Pierre was a 
pretty bad place." 

STATEMENT OF ENGINEER. 

"We had cleared from Barbados," said Second Engineer An- 
derson, " and were making our way to St. Lucia, where we were to 
complete our cargo, take on a little more coal and then clear for 
New York 

" On the afternoon of May 8 (Thursday) we noticed a peculiar 
haze in the direction of Martinique. The air seemed heavy and 
oppressive. The weather conditions were not at all unlike those 
which precede the great West Indian hurricanes, but, knowing it 
was not the season of the year for them, we all remarked in the 
engine room that there must be a heavy storm approachino-. 

"Several of the sailors, experienced deep water seamen 
laughed at our prognostications, and informed us there would be 
no storm within the next sixty hours, and insisted that, according 
to all 'fo'cas'le' indications, a dead calm was in sierht. 

"So unusually peculiar were the weather conditions that we 



252 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

talked of nothing else during the evening. That night in the 
direction of Martinique, there was a very black sky, an unusual 
thing at this season of the year, and a storm was apparently 
.brewing in a direction from which storms do not come at this 
season. 

" As the night wore on those on watch noticed what appeared 
to be great flashes of lightning in the direction of Martinique. It 
seemed as though the ordinary conditions were reversed, and even 
the forecastle prophets were unable to offer explanations. Occa- 
sionally, over the pounding of the engines and the rush of water 
we thought we could hear long, deep roars, not unlike the ending 
of a deep peal of thunder. Several times we heard the rumble or 
roar, but at the time we were not certain as to exactly what it was, 
or even whether we really heard it. 

VIVID FLASHES OF LIGHT. 

"There would suddenly come great flashes of light from the 
dark bank toward Martinique. Some of them seemed to spread 
over a great area, while others seemed to spout skyward, funnel- 
shaped. All night this continued, and it was not until day came 
that the flashes disappeared. The dark bank that covered the 
horizon toward Martinique, however, did not fade away with the 
breaking of day, and at eight in the morning of the 9th (Friday) 
the whole section of the sky in that direction seemed dark and 
troubled. 

"About nine o'clock Friday morning I was sitting on one of 
the hatches aft with some of the other engineers and officers of the 
ship, discussing the peculiar weather phenomena. I noticed a 
sort of grit that got into my mouth from the end of the cigar I 
was smoking. I attributed it to some rather bad coal which we had 
shipped aboard, and, turning to Chief Engineer Evans, I remarked 
that 'that coal was mighty dirty,' and he said that it was covering 
the ship with a sort of grit. 

"Then I noticed that the grit was getting on my clothes, 
and finally some one suggested that we go forward of the funnels, 
so we would not get the dirt on us. As we went forward we met 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 253 

one or two of the sailors from the forecastle, who wanted to know 
about the dust that was falling on the ship. Then we found that 
the grayish looking ash was sifting all over the ship, both for- 
ward and aft. 

ASHES RAINED ON THE SHIP. 

" Every moment the ashes rained down all over the ship, and 
at the same time grew thicker. A few moments later, the lookout 
called down that we were running into a fog bank dead ahead. 
Fog banks in that section are unheard of at nine o'clock in the 
morning at this season, and we were more than a hundred miles 
from land, and what could fog and sand be doing there. 
Before we knew it, we were into the fog, which proved to be 
a big dense bank of this same sand, and it rained down on us 
from every side. Ventilators were quickly brought to their 
places and later even the hatches were battened down. 

"The dust became suffocating, and the men had all they 
could do to keep from choking at times. What the stuff was we 
could not at first conjecture, or rather, we didn't have much 
time to speculate on it, for we had to get our ship in shape to 
withstand we hardly knew what. At first we thought that the 
sand must have been blown from shore. Then we decided that if 
the captain's figures were, right we wouldn't be near enough to 
shore to have sand blown on us, and as we had just cleared Barba- 
dos, we knew that the captain's figures had to be right. 

"Just as the storm of sand was at its height Fourth Engineer 
Wild was nearly suffocated by it, but was easily revived. Just 
about this time it became so dark we found it necessary to start 
up the electric lights, and it was not until after we got clear from 
the fog that we turned the current off. In the meantime they had 
burned from nine o'clock in the morning until after two in the 
afternoon. 

"Then there was another anxious moment shortly after nine 
o'clock. Third Engineer Rennie had been running the donkey 
engine, when suddenly it chocked, and when he finally got it clear 
from the sand or ashes, he found the valves were all cut out, 
and then it was we discovered that it was not sand, but some sort 



254 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

of composition that seemed to cut steel like emery. Then came 
the danger that it would get into the valves of the engine and cut 
them out, and for several moments all hands scurried about and 
helped make the engine room tight, and even then the ashes drifted 
in and kept all the engine room force wiping the engines clear of it. 

"Toward three o'clock in the afternoon of Friday we were 
practically clear of the sand, but at eleven o'clock that night we 
ran into a second bank of it, though not as bad as the first. We 
made some experiments, and found the stuff was superior to 
emery dust. It cut deeper and quicker, and only about half as 
much was required to do the work. We made up our minds we 
would keep what came on board, as it was better than the emery 
dust and much cheaper, so we gathered it up. 

"That night there was more of the same electric phenomena 
toward Martinique, but it was not until we got into St. Lucia, 
where we saw the Roddam, that we learned of the terrible disaster 
at St. Pierre, and then we knew that our sand was lava dust." 

The volcanic ash which fell on the decks of the Horace 
was ground as fine as rifle powder, and was much finer than that 
which covered the decks of the Etona, which reached port a 
few hours before. 

BLISTERED PAINT AND ASHES. 

Although the crew had been kept busy scrubbing and clean- 
ing the ship, the decks and every part of the vessel showed the 
effects of the fiery storm through which it had passed. All about 
the decks ashes could be seen working out of cracks and crevices 
where the brooms of the men had not reached. In places the 
paint was blistered, and in the loftier portions of the ship the 
white paint looked as if it might have been partly melted and then 
coated over with the sifting ashes. In the lifeboats and elsewhere 
were little mounds of the volcanic dust, caked in hard masses by 
the dew and the sun. In his cabin Captain Byrnes had a large 
jar filled with the ashes that had fallen upon the deck as the ship 
came away from St. Lucia, passing St. Vincent. 

One of the officers of the Horace described the storm of ashes 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 255 

through which they passed as being like a severe snowstorm with 
the thermometer at ioo degrees. " It hurt our eyes and choked 
us, and the air was so filled with the fine dust that we could not 
see half a mile ahead. The most harrowing picture of all I saw 
was that of Captain Freeman, who escaped from the Roddam. As 
we seen him in St. Lucia, he scarcely looked like a man, he was 
burned and scarred so badly. He sat with his arms supported on 
pillows, and he said to me jokingly that there wasn't enough flesh 
left on one of his arms to bait a fish hook." 

AS SEEN FROM ST. LUCIA. 

Henry Chastenet, a native of St. Lucia, was the only passen- 
ger or. che Horace. He said he left St. Lucia for the purpose of 
visiting his friend, J. L. Clavier, of New York, but his story 
indicated that his departure from the island was for the purpose 
of escaping possible destruction. 

"There is a volcano on the island of St. Lucia," he said, " but 
it is said to be practically extinct. That is what they said about 
Mont Pelee ; that is what they said about the sulphur pit on St. 
Vincent, but we all know what has happened." 

" Could you see anything of the terrible outburst on Mar- 
tinique from St. Vincent ? " he was asked. 

"No," he said, "only the hideous bursts of angry blue 
flame, which would leap far up into the black clouds like the sud- 
den burst of flame from a mighty blast furnace. Then would 
come darkness and a mighty wrenching and shaking of the earth, 
with a noise that sounded as if all the powers of the universe were 
struggling under your feet." 

Advices received at Washington, May 17th, from Consul 
Ayme and Commander McLean, of the cruiser Cincinnati, both 
of whom were at Martinique, indicated that sufficient supplies 
were at hand to meet the emergency, and suggesting that public 
subscriptions in this country should be discontinued. For the 
present, therefore, it was said, no further supplies would be sent 
to Martinique by the Government, and it was probable the Presi- 
dent would make public announcement within a few days that 



256 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

further contributions were not needed. The President called 
upon the army and navy officers in Martinique to express their 
views upon the sufficiency of the supplies available, and when 
their replies were received he will take action. 

Secretary Moody made public this despatch received from 
Commander McLean : " Excitement in Martinique calming 
down. Many refugees, not destitute or starving, but frightened 
by appalling disaster at St. Pierre, and grave but less serious 
damages in more northern portions of the island, were leaving 
estates and sections which had not suffered. Many cases of pil- 
laging in those districts. Government taking action to stop it. 
In some northern districts many cattle may die because volcanic 
dust covers vegetation. A few good rains would cure much of 
this condition. To-day visited and explored ruins United States 
and British Consulates, St. Pierre. Found in some portions 
charred remains of bodies. The Potomac has returned to Fort- 
de-France. Reports disaster at St. Vincent very serious. I 
believe volcanic conditions are worse, and in some respects condi- 
tions of living as bad or worse than in Martinique." 

OPINIONS AT WASHINGTON. 

Said a Washington correspondent : 

"In the opinion of the President and his Cabinet, the domi- 
nation of the Western Hemisphere by the United States has been 
conclusively demonstrated by the extension of relief to the stricken 
islands of the Caribbean Sea. These islands belong to foreign 
powers — France and Great Britain. Before these nations took the 
first step in the direction of sending them assistance the President 
called upon Congress, and that body appropriated $200,000 for 
the despatch of the relief to Martinique and St. Vincent. The 
President furthermore ordered that supplies be transported to St. 
Vincent. Orders that relief be sent were given before the State 
Department communicated information of the President's purpose 
to France and Great Britain. Announcement to this effect was 
made, and with its presentation by American diplomats the fact of 
foreign sovereignty was not lost sight of. 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 257 

"A diplomat called attention, however, to the fact that the 
United States had established a precedent of the utmost import- 
ance. When distress prevailed in Cuba, in consequence of Spanish 
operations, the President called upon this country to furnish the 
reconcentrados with relief. This step was regarded as the first 
stage of intervention. It is not proposed by the Administration 
to use the action taken in Martinique as a precedent for any 
further procedure than that required by the dictates of humanity, 
but it is pointed out that the President's course has an important 
international aspect." 

COMMEMORATIVE SERVICES. 

At the close of High Mass in all of the Roman Catholic 
churches of Paris in the morning of May 18th, funeral psalms 
were chanted and prayers for the dead were said in memory of 
those who perished in the Martinique disaster. The congrega- 
tions were large, and good collections for the aid of the West 
Indian sufferers were taken up. 

At a special service held in the Church of St. Augustine 
Bishop Cormont, of Martinique, who was in Paris, pronounced 
absolution. The commemorative service for the Martinique dead, 
which was to have been held at Notre Dame, was postponed be- 
cause of the absence from France of President Loubet, as this 
service was intended to be a high religious and State function. 
Appropriate services for the Martinique victims were held in all 
churches throughout France, and collections to aid the sufferers 
were taken up. 

The performance of Barnum & Bailey's circus at Toulouse 
yesterday added $5000 to the Martinique fund. 

The Norton Line steamer Ktona arrived at New York from 
the River Plate, via St. Lucia, where she called for bunker coal 
on May 10. 

" At St. Lucia on May 11," said Captain Cantell, " I went on 
board the British steamer Roddam, which had escaped from the ter- 
rible volcanic eruption at Martinique three days before. The state 

of the ship was enough to show that those on board must have 
17-MAR 



268 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

undergone an awful experience. The Roddam was covered with a 
mass of fine bluish gray dust or ashes of cement-like appearance. 
In some parts it lay two feet deep on the decks. This matter 
had fallen in a red hot state all over the steamer, setting fire to 
everything it struck that was burnable, and when it fell on the 
men on board burned off limbs and large pieces of flesh. 

"I visited the captain of the Roddam in the hospital at St. 
Lucia, where he gave me an account of his terrible experience. 
He had just arrived and anchored at St. Pierre, Martinique, on 
the morning of Thursday, May 8. The captain was standing 
near the accommodation ladder talking to the agent of the vessel, 
who had come on board, when he saw what appeared to be an 
enormous black cloud, like a wall with patches of fire in it, 
approaching the sea from the land. 

"With it came an immense tidal wave of boiling water, 
accompanied by a loud and terrible noise. He shouted, 'take 
shelter ' to the crew. Immediately the steamer was caught and 
tossed over on her side, almost capsizing. Darkness fell like a 
pall, and volumes of red hot matter showered down, while the air 
was thick with sulphurous fumes and dust. The sea was a con- 
fused mass of boiling mud. 

THE ENGINES STARTED AT FULL SPEED. 

"Thecaptiin of the Roddam, knowing that his vessel had 
steam up, and instantly realizing the necessity of escape, rushed 
to the engine room annunciator and signaled below to start the 
engine at full speed. The anxious moments, increased by his 
sufferings from burns and agony of mind, were relieved by the 
vibration of the engines and the reply from below. It happened, 
fortunately, that, although the crew had been rung off from duty 
at the engines, some of the engineers were nearby. The terrible 
tidal wave which had swept over the Roddam and nearly capsized 
her had parted the cable, and the vessel was adrift. 

" When the engines started it was found that the steering 
gear had become disabled in some manner and could not be worked. 
For more than an hour the Roddam' s engines were worked, back- 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 259 

ing and going ahead, with the hope of bringing her head toward 
the sea and away from the land. Once she got dangerously near 
the steamer Roraima. Both vessels were in flames. Some of 
those aboard jumped into the boiling water ; some fell dying to 
the deck. All this time the red hot matter was falling, and the 
water was hissing and steaming dense masses of vapor. Smoke 
and dust filled the air, and poisonous fumes spread about. 

TERRIBLE PLIGHT OF THE STEAMER. 

" After some time the Roddam's steering gear moved a little 
and enabled the captain to head her out to sea, and with consider- 
able difficulty he managed to steer her a little distance from the 
land. As the air cleared the scene on board the ill-fated 
Roddam became all the more ghastly. The ship steamed on 
through thick hot dust. The screams from the injured became 
more audible. Some rushed frantically about with their clothes 
on fire and large pieces of flesh burned from their arms ; others in 
their agony lay writhing in the red hot dust. 

11 In about two hours the air became gradually clear. An 
investigation of the casualties on board showed that, besides the 
captain, who was frightfully injured, only two engineers, two 
sailors and the boatswain were able to do duty. Fire was still 
burning about the ship, and the rigging was in flames. The 
captain decided to try to reach the Island of St. Lucia, forty-five 
miles distant. This he succeeded in doing by 6 o'clock on the 
evening of May 8. 

" In the time occupied on this terrible voyage the experience 
of the survivors was still worse than that already gone through. 
The brave captain and his few men fighting the fire, exhausted 
and scalded, struggled and worked trying to do something to assist 
their dying shipmates. Those working below strove to keep up 
the steam. The captain, suffering the greatest agony, succeeded 
in navigating his vessel safely to the port of Castries, St. Lucia, 
with eighteen dead bodies lying on the deck and human limbs 
scattered about. 

"A sailor stood by constantly wiping the captain's injured 



260 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

eyes. I think the performance of the Roddam's captain was most 
wonderful, and the more so when I saw his pitiful condition. I 
do not understand how he kept up ; yet, when the steamer arrived 
at St. Lucia and medical assistance was procured, this brave man 
asked the doctors to attend to the others first, and refused to be 
treated until this was done." 

Every storm, earthquake or disaster of any kind brings out a 
curious phase of human nature. Many of those who have seen 
their houses destroyed or their nearest relatives killed returned 
as soon as possible to the scenes of devastation. In some instances 
this is explained by the fact that there are more opportunities of 
earning a livelihood among old neighbors than among new sur- 
roundings. 

In numerous cases, however, no such business reason operates 
as an iducement. The magnet is sentiment, not money. As some 
mourners devote every holiday to visiting graves, so a large frac- 
tion of the homeless and bereaved go back to spend the remainder 
of their days in the scenes that recall calamity and agony- 

RISKING DANGER. 

It was so after the great London fire ; it was so after the 
Lisbon earthquake ; it was so after the yellow fever swept Phila- 
delphia ; and in more recent years, the Chicago fire, the Missis- 
sippi floods, Charleston, Johnstown and other catastrophes 
confirm the old experience. Apparently the desire to gain new 
pleasures is not more keen than the wish to revive the memory of 
old pain. Our late storm has destroyed much propert}^ and a num- 
ber of lives, but we will see people choosing homes in sight of the 
telegraph pole from which the fatal live wire dangled, or the flooded 
stream in which the only son was drowned. 

Johnson's " Rasselas " tells of sundry thoughtful persons 
who, wearied of their life in Abyssinia, go forth to seek adven- 
tures. During the Nile's annual flood they are obliged to halt, 
and they resolve, when the inundation shall cease, to return to 
Abyssinia. Johnson's blinking eyes looked sharply into human 
nature. 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 261 

The well-known journal, the New York Independent, printed 
an editorial on the catastrophe, which we here reproduce : 

Such a terrible catastrophe as that which last week suddenly 
overwhelmed a city, paralleling the destruction of Pompeii, and 
then repeated itself on a neighboring island, simply blotting out 
Martinique as a land of fair homes and extinguishing its agricul- 
ture and business, and destroying half of St. Vincent, raises the 
old question again, how our better Theism can deal with such 
fearful events. Think of the sudden ferocity of this power ! the 
top of the mountain suddenly blowing off, spouts out molten lava, 
which not merely flows in a stream from which one might flee, but 
drops in showers of fire over the doomed city and far out on the 
ships at sea. Thus perished Sodom and Gomorrah. But St. 
Pierre was no special wicked city. Its people were as decent as 
those of Paris or Havana, and St. Vincent needed, so far as we can 
see, no unusual vindictive judgment from heaven or hell. 

CHAIN OF NATURAL CAUSES. 

The problem is easy to the consistent materialist. To him 
all is involved in the chain of natural forces, which have no pur- 
pose and no praise or blame. What was in the primal egg of cosmic 
mist had to evolve itself unthinking and unpitying. We can grieve 
and lament or we can rejoice, but the arrow shot from the original 
nebular star-dust moves straight on, unknowing and relentless. 
There is a chain of cause and effect, and effect follows cause 
mechanically. There is law, only law, and no will, no heart, no 
love and no hate. Such is the materialist view, and it offers the 
comfort of despair. 

But Theism has before it the same facts, the same relentless- 
ness of nature. Given a God, he lets the lightnings fall, the 
tornadoes blow, the earthquakes shake, the volcanoes burst, quite 
regardless of the presence of men. Indeed, the belief in a divine 
superintending Power brings in a fresh difficulty, the difficulty 
which every thinking soul has felt, that of the permission of evil. 
If God is good, why does He allow evil ? Can He not help it ? Is 
He all-powerful, or is He not all-good ? 



262 NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 

Believing in God, we believe that He created nature and gave 
it its laws. There are those whose notion of God requires them 
to believe that He gave nature no laws or powers, but that every 
act of nature, every dropping of an apple, every chemical combi- 
nation, every evaporation of a drop of dew, is a special act of 
Divine will exercised on nature, and they say that what we call laws 
of nature are only God's habit of doing things. This is a needless 
way of maintaining the Divine rule over nature. It involves the 
disagreeable thought that every mischief of fever, or flood, or 
storm, or flame is the effect of a special volition of God to that par- 
ticular end. 

It is wiser and more philosophical, as well as more natural, 
to think of nature as controlled by laws imposed upon it, those 
laws acting automatically, although their action can, to some 
extent, be cotrolled or diverted by the opposing will of living 
beings. Cattle can prevent the growth of grass in a pasture ; 
men can turn a forest into a field of wheat or a sandy shore into 
a city. The Theist must think of God as having made laws for 
nature that are good in their general effect. That hydrogen 
should combine with oxygen to form water is good ; that carbon 
and oxygen should make carbonic acid is good, and vegetation 
depends on it. But every law, though generally beneficial, may 
be exceptionally injurious in its action ; yet that is no reason why 
its steady rule should fail. 

MUST LEARN TO AVOID EVILS. 

We must learn to understand the rule and avoid its evils. 
We must not step off from the precipice ; we must not build our 
cities on the flank of a volcano. We must learn to rejoice in the 
beneficence of the law and submit to its unavoidable injuries. 

The comfort aud the peace must come in the thought of tin 
general goodness of law and the advantage that follows from the 
fact that we depend on its certainty. We do not need to wait for 
some great catastrophe to learn this lesson. When a friend dies 
we are not to think of it as a judgment of Heaven on us for our 
sins, as if God were sending a special chastisement ; we are to 



NEW HORRORS REVEALED DAILY. 263 

think of it as nature's, and so God's wise way of removing and 
renewing the generations ; and if our ignorance or neglect of 
some law of nature has hastened the end of one's life, we should 
take the blame to ourselves and learn the more how to make these 
laws our kindly servants. If to some minds this seems to remove 
God further from us, seated behind the law, to other wiser minds 
God will be seen enthroned within the law, giving it its power and 
rejoicing, as should we, in its general beneficence. 



CHAPTER XL 

Ship Tossed by Giant Waves Without a Breath of Wind. 
Story oe the Captain oe a Danish Vessel. — Long Hours 
of Terror Endured by the Crew. — Wreck of the Ship 
Roddam. 

"PHE Danish steamship Nordby, sulphur-laden from the Isle of 
-*■ Sicily, reached Philadelphia, May 17th, after an experience 
which the old salts on board said they never saw equaled, and 
hoped never to see again. The Nordby ran into a mysterious 
sort of storm, caused by the volcanic eruptions at Martinique, 
when several hundred miles away from that place. For twelve 
hours of a windless and cloudless day the vessel was buffeted and 
tossed about in a terrifying fashion. The crew, dazed and puz- 
zled by the phenomenon, expected every moment that the next 
would be their last. 

As told in simple style by Captain Eric Lillienskjold, the 
story of the ship's plight is graphic enough to be a creation of 
fiction. 

"On May 5," said the captain, "we touched at St. Michael's 
for water. We had had an easy voyage from Girgenti, in Sicily, 
and we wanted to finish an easy run here. We left St. Michael's 
on the same day. Nothing worth while talking about occurred 
until two days afterward — Tuesday, May 7. 

" We were plodding along slowly that day. About noon 1 
took the bridge to make an observation. It seemed to be hotter 
than ordinary. I shed my coat and vest and got into what little 
shade there was. As I worked it grew hotter and hotter. I didn't 
know what to make of it. 

"Along about two o'clock in the afternoon it was so hot that 
all hands got to talking about it. We reckoned that something 
queer was coining off, but none of us could explain what it was. 
You could almost see the pitch softening in the seams. 

" Then, as quick as you could toss a biscuit over its rail, the 

264 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 265 

Nordby dropped — regularly dropped — three or four feet down 
into the sea. No sooner did it do this than big waves that looked 
as if they were coining from all directions, at once began to smash 
against our sides. 

" This was queerer yet, because the water a minute before 
was as smooth as I ever saw it. I had all hands piped on deck, 
and we battened down everything loose to make ready for a 
storm. And we got it all right — the strangest storm you ever 
heard tell of. 

" There was something wrong with the sun that afternoon. 
It grew red and then dark red and then, about a quarter after two, 
it went out of sight altogether. The day got so dark that you 
couldn't see half a ship's length ahead of you. We got our lamps 
going, and put on our oilskins, ready for a hurricane. 

" All of a sudden there came a sheet of lightning that 

showed up the whole tumbling sea for miles and miles. We sort 

of ducked, expecHng an awful crash of thunder, but it didn't 

come. There was no sound except the big waves pounding 

against our sides. 

NO BREATH OF WIND. 

" There wasn't a breath of wind. Well, sir, at that minute 
there began the most exciting time I've ever been through, and 
I've been on every sea on the map for twenty-five years. Bvery 
second there would be waves fifteen or twenty feet high belting 
us head-on, stern-on and broadside, all at once. We could see 
them coming, for without any stop at all flash after flash of 
lightning was blazing all about us. 

"Something else we could see, too. Sharks! There were 
hundreds of them on all sides, jumping up and down in the 
water. Some of them jumped clear out of it. And sea birds ! 
A flock of them, squawking and crying, made for our rigging and 
perched there. They seemed as if they were scared to death. 

" But the queerest part of it all was the water itself. It 
was hot — not so hot that our feet could not stand it when it 
washed over the deck — but hot enough to make us think that 
it had been heated by some kind of a fire. Well, that sort of 



266 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

thing went on hour after hour. The waves, the lightning, the 
hot water and the sharks, and all the rest of the odd things hap- 
pening, frightened the crew out of their wits. 

THE CREW PRAYED. 

"Some of them prayed out loud — I guess the first time they 
ever did in their lives. Some Frenchmen aboard kept running 
around and yelling, ' C est le dernier jour! ' [This is the last 
day.] We were all worried. Even the officers began to think 
that the world was coming to an end. Mighty strange things 
happen on the sea, but this topped them all. 

" I kept to the bridge all night. When the first hour of morn- 
ing came the storm was still going on. We were all pretty much 
tired out by that time, but there was no such thing as trying to 
sleep. The waves were still batting us around and we didn't 
know whether we were one mile or a thousand miles from shore. 

" At 2 o'clock in the morning all the queer goings on stopped 
just the way they began — all of a sudden. We lay to until day- 
light ; then we took our reckonings and started off again. We 
were about 700 miles off Cape Henlopen. No, sir ; you couldn't 
get me through a thing like that again for $10,000. None of us 
was hurt, and the old Nordby herself pulled through all right, but 
I'd sooner stay ashore than see waves without wind and lightning 
without thunder." 

And according to his records Captain Lillienskj old must be a 
pretty brave man. During the Turko-Grecian war he ran his 
steamer Ashby up against a blazing Turkish schooner and rescued 
thirty-three of its crew. For this the Sultan awarded him the 
Order of Medjidi, a decoration given to admirals in the Ottoman 
service. 

Such of the Nordby' s crew as could speak English and all her 
officers told the same story about the mysterious storm. It was 
not until the Nordby reached Delaware Breakwater late Friday 
night, May 1 6th, that the captain and his sailors learned of the 
volcanic disturbances in the West Indies. Then they understood, 
or said they did, what caused their own troubles. 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 267 

One of the ships that passed through a shower of lava from 
Mont Pelee and reached the American mainland to tell about it, 
the British Etona, bound to New York from Montevideo and 
St. Lucia, steamed up the Narrows before daylight on the morn- 
ing of May 18th. Her captain, John Cantell, and her four passen- 
gers, Professor Ulo Kraft, of the Hessen (Germany) High School; 
H. R. Babbitt, the Buenos Ayres representative of Robert H. 
Forderer & Co., of this city ; Julio Buchwald, of Buenos Ayres. 
and Rinaldo Bibolini, of Paraguay, brought with them a thrilling 
story, not only of their owu experience in the second eruption of 
Martinique's destroyer, but of the Roddam and her heroic captain, 
whom they visited in the St. Lucia's hospital 

The Etona reached St. Lucia on the evening of May ioth, 
expecting to coal and leave the same night. She had experi- 
enced queer weather during the day, the atmospheric disturbances 
indicating that something had happened either in the sea or on 
land. In the harbor news was received of the St. Pierre disaster, 
and lying at anchor was all that was left of the Roddam. 

All St. Lucia was in mourning and the people were so 
distracted by the news from the neighboring island that it was 
not until May nth, that Captain Cantell could obtain coal and 
proceed on his journey. St. Pierre was passed at a distance of 
about four miles and all on board studied the land with glasses. 

ALL WERE FRIGHTENED. 

"The weather was clear and we had a fine view," said the 
Captain yesterday, " but the old outlines of St. Pierre were not 
recognizable. Everything was a mass of blue lava and the for- 
mation of the land itself seemed to have changed. When we 
were about eight miles off the northern end of the island Mont 
Pelee began to belch a second time. Clouds of smoke and lava 
shot into the air and spread over all the sea, darkening the sun. 
Our decks in a few minutes were covered with a substance that 
looked like sand dyed brown, and which smelled like phosphorus. 

" I was on watch at the time with Second Officer John G. Gibbs. 
When partial darkness came upon us it is needless to say that I 



268 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

and everybody else on board the ship were badly frightened. 
After the stories we had heard and the sights we had seen at St. 
Lucia we did not know bnt that we were ourselves to be buried 
under red hot lava or engulfed by another tidal wave, though we 
were then ten miles from shore. 

" ' Crowd on steam !' I whistled down to Chief Engineer 
Farrish, and he needed no urging. Slowly we drew away through 
a suffocating atmosphere, foot by foot, yard by yard, and at last 
the sun began shining again. We had passed outside the storm 
of dust and sand. When I looked at my watch I found that we 
had been about an hour reaching daylight. 

" Our decks were covered two inches deep with this material ;" 
and the Captain exhibited a box of volcanic dust, which had been 
saved by his crew. " You can see the marks of it yet about our 
masts and. polished wood work, and I do not think my passengers 
are yet over their fright. No curiosity would every take any of 
us again near that terrible place." 

Captain Cantell said that he saw several steamers moving 
about Martinique, but could not distinguish their names. He 
talked with the captain of a small steamer which left St. Lucia, 
May 9th, for St. Vincent to offer relief, but which had to turn back. 
When within seven miles of St. Vincent the. needle in the com- 
pass began to spin round and round and point everywhere except 
toward the north. 

WRECK OF THE RODDAM. 

" Before leaving St. Lucia," said Captain Cantell, " I offered 
to carry supplies to Fort-de-France, but was told that a ship had 
gone over with everything needed. While we were waiting at St. 
Lucia for coal we visited the wreck of the Roddam, which escaped 
from St. Pierre on May 8. We found the ship in charge of a 
watchman and two policemen. She had been abandoned by all of 
the survivors of her crew. When we went aboard the watchman 
was engaged in gathering up fragments of human bodies and 
putting them away in a locker. He discontinued the work to show 
us around. 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 269 

" The Roddain presented an awful spectacle. She looked as 
if she had been thrust into soft, clinging mud and pulled out again. 
The mud stuck and clung to her like cement, and was two feet 
deep on her decks. Awnings, stanchions and boat covers had 
been burned or swept away. Tarpaulins, rails, stays, hatch covers 
and even her smokestacks were gone. When the watchman dug 
into the lava he found here and there fragments of human remains. 
About all that was left of the ship was her hull, and that being of 
iron, had escaped destruction. 

" Hearing that Captain Freeman was at the Hotel Felile we 
called upon him. I wanted to get from his own lips the story of 
his escape. I was unprepared for the terrible sight which greeted 
my eyes when I entered the room. 

"Captain Freeman's face was burned to the color of teak 
wood, and large patches of skinned flesh were burned from his 
bones here and there. Both of his hands were swathed in bandages. 
His hair and mustache were gone, his eyes were tied over and he 
was in great pain. When I told him who I was he talked a great 
deal, to relieve himself, he said, of his suffering. 

CAPTAIN FREEMAN'S STORY. 

" He said the Roddam had been in St. Pierre only an hour 
when the eruption occurred. He was talking to an agent in a 
boat alongside when a big black squall approached the ship from 
the lanH. It was like a wall, traveled fast, and was accompanied 
by a tidal wave and a deafening roar. The sun disappeared 
immediately. 

" Captain Freeman said that he shouted to everybody to stand 
clear. An instant later the air was filled with flame and falling 
batches of fire. The ship was immediately ablaze from end to 
end, and the crew and laborers aboard began to rush about, frantic 
with pain. As nearly as he could remember there were forty-two 
persons aboard the ship, only six of whom survived. The ship 
keeled over when the tidal wave hit her and near capsized. Then 
she righted and the falling shower of fire continued. 

" Captain Freeman ran into the chart room, but was driven 



270 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

out again by flames that came in at the porthole. Then he rushed 
to the engine room, telephone and signalled the engineer to put on 
full steam. Some one responded, and the ship began to move, 
but the steering gear was jammed and would not work. He kept 
the engines going ahead and astern alternately, hoping to free 
the paddles, and in so doing nearly collided with the Quebec line 
steamer Roraima, from which clouds of steam and flame were 
rising. 

"Men on the Roraima were wringing their hands and rushing 
about frantically. Some of them jumped into the sea, where they 
must have died instantly, Captain Freeman said, for the water 
was boiling like a cauldron. It was like a mass of boiling mud. 
Many of the Roddam's crew had disappeared, probably swept 
overboard, and the rest went one by one until only six were left. 
Every one of them must have died a terrible death. 

HEADED OUT TO SEA. 

"After a time the captain got the steering gear working, the 
ship answered her helm, and he headed her out to sea. Slowty the 
sky cleared, and it was possible for him to see about him. Men in 
the red hot lava lay dying all along his track. He himself, though 
he stayed at the wheel, was unable to lift his burned arms. 
Blood from his forehead kept running into his eyes, obscuring 
his vision. He likened his escape to the passage from hell into 
heaven. At last he reached the open sea, and with the help of 
two sailors, two engineers and the boatswain succeeded in taking 
his ship to St. Lucia. 

" During the run out of the harbor the chief engineer died a 
horrible death. He escaped the first shock, started the engines, 
and not finding his men below, went on deck to look for them. As 
he thrust his head out of the hatch a mass of lava fell upon him, 
burning one side of his face completely off. 

"Captain Freeman's performance has, perhaps, never had a 
parallel in stories of the sea," continued Captain Cantell. "When 
the Roddam arrived at St. Lucia the brave man refused all medi- 
cal treatment until the others were cared for. He will live, the 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 271 

doctors tell me. I saw two sailors, two engineers and the boatswain 
in St. Lucia. They were able to get about. 

Julio Buchwald, of Buenos Ay res, who came in on the Etona, 
was on a visit to his brother. Rinaldo Bibolini was one of the 
party. They, Professor Kraft and H. R. Babbitt told the same 
thrilling tale as the captain. 

"We knew long before we reached St. Lucia," said Mr. Bab- 
bitt, " that something was going on. We couldn't see St. Vincent 
at all as we passed that island. A thick haze, like steam, hung 
over the sea and shut out all sight of land. Our ship was a 
sight after we passed through the shower of lava dust. All of us 
have gathered up samples of it to show as souvenirs of our experi- 
ence. Not a spot on the deck's superstructure but was covered 
with the blue stuff. The air was stifling and you couldn't see 
across the deck. It was an experience to last a lifetime. 

Chief Engineer Robert Farrish said of the lava shower : 

"We had been watching the island from the time we first 
picked it up until we were well past St. Pierre, and I had just 
gone below, put up my glasses and stretched out on my bunk for 
a nap, when the captain sent for me. As I came on the bridge he 
said. ' Look at that island, will you ?' 

" I looked, and there the volcano was belching out a black 
cloud of what looked like dense smoke. 

" ' Get below,' he said, ' and drive her as hard as she will stand 
until we get clear of this place. We don't want a repetition of the 
Roddam's experience.' 

CROWDED ON STEAM. 

"I went below and gave her all the coal the furnaces could 
take. We had good coal and plenty of it and we did not hesitate 
to use it. I pounded her through at an increase of two knots an 
hour over what we had always thought was her highest speed. 
The safety valves were dancing a jig every minute, but, notwith- 
standing the high rate of speed we were running at, there was 
scarcely a minute during the hour that we were flying from the 
scene of the eruption when the head of steam in the boilers did 
not force the safety valves open. 



272 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

a When I came on deck two hours later we had left the island 
hull down, but the decks of our ship were a sight. Everywhere 
everything was covered with the blue lava dust, which the force of 
the volcanic eruption had driven in the face of the wind ten miles 
out to sea and scattered over us. 

"This dust as it fell on the ship was moist and sticky in 
character. It made the decks slippery, much as though they had 
been plastered with soft clay. When it dried out it became like a 
fine powder. In many places the decks were buried two inches 
deep from the shower." 

Abramson, carpenter of the ship, said that he was lying out 
in a hammock under an awning on the forward deck, from which 
he had been watching the island of Martinique through a glass as 
they passed it. A little before two o'clock in the afternoon he 
noticed that the sun was taking on a peculiar condition. It was 
shining brightly, yet seemed surrounded by a thick haze, but 
finally it took on a fiery red appearance, and, while still perceptible 
in its entire contour through the haze or smoke, its circumference 
kept apparently contracting. It grew smaller and smaller until 
finally, Abramson said, it looked no larger around to the naked 
eye than an ordinary tumbler. 

A BLOOD-RED SUN. 

About this time there came a sudden puff of dark smoke, the 
edges of which were tinged with light, as though reflecting the 
rays of the blood red sun. This cloud moved toward the ship like 
a black squall. Before the captain's orders to take in the awning 
could be executed, the shower of lava poured onto the ship and 
covered everything. The smokestack of the Etona was buried thick 
in the stuff, which caked thereon and hardened so that it took 
several days to get it off. The peculiarity about this dust that 
caked on the smokestack was that when dried it hardened in 
appearance much like cinders, instead of fine dust like that which 
fell on deck. 

The Martinique disaster took place just where scientists 
would expect it. Dr. A. R. Crook, professor of mineralogy in 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 278 

Northwestern University, of Chicago, has made a special study 
of volcanoes. He has made an ascent of the two highest in the 
world, and has climbed many others for purposes of study. He 
is an authority on volcanography. 

'There are two great circles of volcanoes about the earth," 
he said. " One girdles the earth north and south, extending 
through Terra del Fuego (called ' land of fire ' because of its 
volcanoes), Mexico, the Aleutian Islands, and down through Aus- 
tralia ; the other east and west through Hawaii, Mexico, West 
Indies, Italy (including Mount Vesuvius) and Asia Minor. 

"These two circles intersect at two points. One of these is 
the West Indies, which include Martinique, the scene of this ter- 
rible disaster; the other is in the islands of Java, Borneo and 
Sumatra. On the latter islands there are extinct volcanoes. On 
the former is the terrible Pelee. It is just at these points of inter- 
section of the two volcanic rings that we expect unusual volcanic 
activity, and it is there that we find it." 

BASED ON THEORY. 

Professor Crook said it was impossible to predict an eruption. 
" There has been more or less theorizing," he continued, " as to 
volcanic disturbances moving in cycles, but it cannot be proved. 
One fact is established, and that is that a volcano is an explosion 
caused by water coming in contact with the molten mass below 
the surface of the earth. This is proved by the great clouds of 
steam that accompany the action." 

The old theory that the center of the earth is a molten mass 
the professor says is no longer held. He asserts the latest idea 
is that the center of the earth is more rigid than glass, though 
less rigid than steel. About this there is more or less molten 
matter, and over all the surface crust of the earth. This molten 
matter causes the surface of the earth to give, to sag, and form 
what is called "wrinkling." When water comes in contact with 
the heated mass an explosion follows that finds its outlet through 
the places where there is least resistance, and the result is a 
volcano. 

iS-MAR 



274 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

" There is no part of the earth's surface which is exempt from 
earthquakes," said Professor Crook, "and there is no regularity 
in their appearance. Volcanic eruptions are almost always pre- 
ceded by earthquakes somewhere in the circle. Recently there 
were earthquakes in the City of Mexico in which many lives were 
lost. 

"As it is impossible to predict when the next will take place, 
it is also impossible to tell where it will be. It will certainly be 
somewhere in the line of the two circles. 

"All this is of interest as showing that the earth is still in 
process of formation just as much as it was a billion years ago. 
We see the same thing in Yellowstone Park. There most decided 
changes have taken place even in the last eight years. Old 
Faithful, which used to play regularly every sixty minutes, now 
does so only once in twice the time." 

When asked what contributions to science, if any, might be 
expected from investigations at Martinique, the professor expressed 
a great desire to go there. 

BENEFIT TO SCIENCE. 

" Even new elements might be discovered," he said, " and 
seismic theories either confirmed or disproved. A volcano always 
throws off a great variety of materials, hydrochloric and sulphuric 
acids, iron, silica (sand), sulphur, calcium and magnesium. The 
lava is of two kinds. That which is easily fusible flows more 
rapidly than a horse can trot. A more viscous kind cools into 
shapes like ropes. The latter is common in Hawaii." 

" Why do people live near volcanoes ? " was asked. " Don't 
they know they are loaded? " 

" Yes. The danger of the proximity is usually well known, 
but the iron oxides render the soil extremely fertile. You see this 
in Sicily about Etna and Vesuvius. You see it also in Martinique, 
where the area forty miles square was occupied by 160,000 people." 

The professor then spoke of the probable character of the 
death of the unfortunate victims. 

"Owing to the presence of the fumes of chlorine it is proba- 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 275 

ble that many were asphyxiated, and so died easily. Others, 
doubtless, were buried in ashes, like the Roman soldier in Pompeii, 
or were caught in some inclosed place which being- surrounded 
by molten lava resulted in slow roasting. It is indeed a horrible 
disaster, and one which we may well pray not to see duplicated. 
Science, however, has no means of knowing that it may not occur 
again." 

S. F. Smith, a lumber merchant known throughout Wor- 
cester county, Massachusetts, returned from a visit at St. Pierre 
Martinique. He was one of the last visitors to the island from 
this part of the country, and his memories of the beautiful cit}' 
which was wiped out of existence in a flash by Mont Pelee vol- 
cano, were only made more vivid in his mind by the disaster. 
With a party of eighty, Mr. Smith left New York, February 8th, on 
the Quebec Steamship Company's Madiana. In this party was 
Mrs. Sheldon, formerly Miss Bessie Mitchell, at one time a teacher 
in the Barre, Mass., high school. 

LITTLE BOATS VISIT THE STEAMER. 

St. Pierre, Martinique, was reached early on the morning of 
February 17th. At St. Pierre, Mr. Smith found that the vessel 
could only get within about a mile of the shore, and the natives 
in crude little boats came out to the steamer. The boats were 
some seven feet long, made of anything, and leaked badly. 
To propel the frail craft two boards were used, and the boatman 
sent it through the water by the dog-paddle motion. In speaking 
of the men and boys, Mr. Smith said he never saw such expert 
swimmers. 

A nickel thrown over the steamer's edge would call for a rush 
by the rabble of boys and men, and a long dive under the boat 
which drew twenty feet of water was hardly out of the ordinary 
for the natives. When a coin was thrown into the water there 
was a wild rush for it. 

The water was so clear that the scramble for the coin fifteen 
feet or more below the surface was easily seen by the passengers, 
and in some cases Mr. Smith said that two natives could be seen 



276 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

pulling each other's hair trying to get the coin at the bottom of 
the harbor. 

In telling of St. Pierre Mr. Smith stated that his first and 
best memory of the city was that here he got his best dinner of 
the trip, that was not served on board ship. A full course French 
dinner, up one flight, in a hotel that bore the name " Icehouse," 
was served by men waiters- Anything that was wanted in the 
way of liquors was served. Mr. Smith said wine seemed to be the 
beverage that was used by the better class of people. 

Speaking of the city itself he said that it was very closely 

settled, but he thought the estimate of the number of inhabitants 

as given for the city was correct. The poorer class of people lived 

in one story houses, while those of more wealth lived up one 

flight. 

AS IN SOME EUROPEAN CITIES. 

The city being situated at the foot of the volcano, which is 
some five miles away and very steep, had three good streets, which 
ran parallel to the seashore. The other streets were so steep that 
a team with a load could not go up them. Along the coast there 
was a primitive car line which ran at any time. This went into 
the city. It was of a very narrow gauge, and when in the city 
ran very close to the sidewalk. When nearing a crosswalk the 
driver, with a horn much the same as our fishhorn, gave forth a 
blast that was startling. 

There were two modern things about the city. It was lighted 
by electricity and had a modern theatre. In regard to buildings 
there were few imposing structures. The cathedral, large and 
massive, was very noticeable. In regard to schools Mr. Smith 
only saw one ; this was a school that from the outside of the 
building looked to the passerby as nothing but a common dwell- 
ing. It was attended by scholars from 10 to 18 years of age. 
Mr. Smith thought it was a higher grade school. The noticeable 
fact was that nearly, if not all, the attendants were girls, and 
Mr. Smith said it was a matter of comment that the women and 
girls far outnumbered the men and boys. 

The women Were remarkably well formed, and their giddy 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 277 

costumes were a sight in themselves. The women were very erect, 
due probably to the fact that nearly everything, little or big, was 
carried on their heads. The party that Mr. Smith was with did 
not go out of the city limits, but at night, over Mont Pelee there 
was the smoke cap. Asked if anything out of the ordinary was 
thought in regard to the smoke cap by the natives, Mr, Smith 
replied that he heard nothing said either way. On board ship it 
was commented that some day trouble would come, and that old 
Mont Pelee was not dead. 

At St. Pierre one of the finest botanical gardens in the West 
Indies was visited by the party. One fact noticeable, especially 
along the shore and at the piers, was that the city was well policed. 
The marketplace in the morning was a place of unusual interest. 
Here the natives for many miles around came into the city to sell 
whatever they thought there was a chance to make on. Many of 
the natives would come many miles with bundles on their heads, 
weighing one hundred pounds, walking all the way. 

THE TRADES PEOPLE. 

The marketplace, on a small scale, was divided off, or classi- 
fied ; meats were sold in one part, fruits in another, and so on. 
Some of the more pretentious of the salespeople had a small shed 
to sell from, but many put their belongings down wherever it 
happened, and sat down beside them. 

On the trip Mr. Smith and the party visited the boiling lake 
at Dominica. This was one of the most interesting points visited 
on the trip. At the shore mules and guides were hired for the 
trip to the lake, a distance of twelve miles. After going three 
miles, by placing the hand to the ground the heat below could be 
felt. And Mr. Smith said over a large territory small streams of 
steam could be seen issuing forth from three to fifteen feet 
m height. In places along the route a rumble and a roar could 
be heard like that a large river makes in going over rapids. 

Reaching the lake the heat was hardly more intense than at 
some of the places along the route. The water in the lake was 
warm, and there was a heavy ripple, from which the name boiling 



278 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

lake is obtained. Mr. Smith said that a few months before a 
traveller and his guide in going over the route broke through the 
crust and were killed. 

The trip covered thirty-six days, a voyage through the Wind- 
ward Islands to Georgetown, Demerara, British Guiana. Several 
side trips were taken by some of the party. Mr. Smith was one 
of a party of four to take a carriage drive of eighty-three miles 
across Porto Rico. Also at Georgetown, Demerara, a small steamer 
was taken for a trip of seventy-five miles up the Demerara river. 
Then a ride on a primitive railroad to Bssequibo river was taken, 
the boundary line between British Guiana and Venezuela. 

No greater cataclysm is authoritatively known in the annals 
of civilized man than that which has swept the Lesser Antilles, 
with Martinique's now famous volcano of Mont Pelee in the lead. 
But the influences of romance and of romantic history still cast a 
mournful glory about Mount Vesuvius and that eruption which 
engulfed the classical cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and 
made it the most vivid and appalling of all the greater catastro- 
phes of nature. 

BEAUTY DESTROYED FOREVER. 

We can transport ourselves in imagination more easily to the 
Bay of Naples, in the latter part of the first century of the Chris- 
tian era, than to the Bay of St. Pierre in the beginning of the 
twentieth, for all the resources of the imagination are instantly 
called into play. It was the most purely pictorial era which the 
world has ever known. 

The catastrophe then enacted on the shores of the Mediter- 
ranean had a setting of physical and artistic beauty such as have 
never since been conjoined in so great a measure. The Mediter- 
ranean and the Bay of Naples are still extant indeed. So is Vesu- 
vius, in a form somewhat modified from that which was known to 
the Romans before the great eruption. But the architectural 
beauty by which man had supplemented the beauty of nature, was 
laid waste and has never returned in its old-time splendor. 

In the year A. D. 63, the suburban city of Pompeii had 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 279 

reached the climax of her prosperity. Raised to the rank of a city 
under Augustus, she had been recoguized as a Roman colony 
under Nero. She had become the arsenal of the maritime cities 
of the Campania and the centre of their commerce. Situate on 
the shores of the most beautiful bay in all the world, she lav 
uear the foot of a volcano, which had come to be considered as 
extinct. 

For how long before the Christian era Vesuvius had been at 
rest is not known. This much is certain, however, that from the 
lauding of the first Greek colony in Southern Italy, the volcano 
had given no signs of internal activity. Strabo, indeed, recognized 
it as a volcanic mountain, but Pliny did not include it in his list 
of active volcanoes. In those days the mountain presented a far 
different appearance from that which it exhibits to-day. 

The huge cone, in which the steaming mass now culminates, 
and the long broken wall on its left, which at the present day form 
features so conspicuous and so peculiar, were not then to be seen. 
Instead there was a broad and almost level crest at nearly the 
same elevation, whereon a slight depression marked the place of 
an ancient crater. The fertile slopes of the mountain were well 
cultivated. Near its base lay not only Pompeii, but also the cities 
of Herculaneum and Stabiae. 

So little was the thought of danger associated with the sleep- 
ing volcano that its fiery crater not very long ago had been sought 
as an asylum by the bands of slaves and others who had flocked 
to the standard of Spartacus 

REASON FOR APPREHENSION. 

Although Vesuvius was at rest, an expert having only a 
slightly greater knowledge of natural phenomena than was cur- 
rent in those days would have seen reason for dread in the fact 
that the region f which Vesuvius was the main vent had never 
in the memory of man known any long period of absolute rest. 
The island of Pithecusa, known to-day as Ischia, was frequently 
shaken by violent convulsions. So fierce were the volcanic erup- 
tions from its still active mountain that several Greek colonies 



280 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 



which had established themselves on the island were soon depopu- 
lated. 

Nor were these eruptions the only source of peril. Poisonous 
exhalations, such as are emitted by violent craters after an erup- 




STARTLING EFFECT OF THE ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS ON THE SEA. 

tion has subsided, were exhaled at intervals from extensive tracts 
on Pithecusa, making the island periodically uninhabitable. 

Still nearer to Vesuvius lay the famous Lake Avernus. The 
very name has passed into a popular synonym for the infernal 
regions. It is said to be a corruption from the Greek Aornos, or 
"birdless," and to have signified that the vapors ascending from 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 281 

its waters destroyed all birds that attempted to fly over the sur- 
face. 

In fact, though the lake is inocuous to-day, there is every 
reason to believe that it hides the outlet of an extinct volcano and 
that long after the volcano ceased to be active it emitted gases as 
fatal to animal life as those suffocating vapors which annihilated 
all the cattle on the Island of Lancerote, in the Canaries, in the 
year 1730. 

After untold years in which Vesuvius had for a while resigned 
its pretensious as the principal vent of the great Neapolitan vol- 
canic system, the sleeping giant gave warniug of a sudden awak- 
ening. A violent convulsion of the earth occurred around its base. 
Many lives were lost. Much injury was done to the cities of 
Pompeii and Herculaneum, and most of the inhabitants fled in 
affright. Some never returned. The majority, however, regained 
courage when these preliminary stirrings had subsided and went 
back to their homes, but never to enjoy the same immunity from 

fear. 

PERIODICAL EARTHQUAKES. 

For sixteen years thereafter earthquakes were of periodical 
occurrence. These grew gradually more and more violent. But 
the obstruction which had so long impeded the ejection of the con- 
fined matter was not readily removed. It was not until the mem- 
orable August of 79 A. D. that the superincumbent mass, after 
numerous and violent internal throes, was at length hurled forth. 

Of the extraordinary catastrophe which resulted we have an 
excellent account in a letter written by an eyewitness, Pliny the 
younger, to his friend Tacitus the younger. Tacitus had asked 
for an account of the death of the elder Pliny, uncle of the 
younger, who had perished in his eagerness to obtain a nearer 
view of the dreadful phenomenon. This afforded the nephew an 
opportunity of detailing all the circumstances from the beginning. 

In that fateful August, we learn, both the Plinys, with the 
lady who was respectively sister and mother to them, were at 
Misenum, a seaport near Pompeii, where the elder Pliny was in 
charge of the Roman fleet. 



282 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

" On the 24th day of August," says the younger Pliny, 
" about one in the afternoon, my mother desired him to observe a 
cloud of very extraordinary size and shape. He arose at once 
and went out upon a height whence he might more distinctly view 
this strange phenomenon. 

"It was not at this distance discernible from what mountain 
the cloud issued, but it was found afterward that it came from 
Vesuvius. I cannot find a more exact description of the figure 
than by comparing it to that of a pine tree, for it shot up to 
great height in the form of a trunk, which extended itself at the 
top into a sort of branches, occasioned, I suppose, either by a 
sudden gust of air which impelled it, whose force decreased as it 
advanced upward, or else the cloud itself, being pressed back by 
its own weight, expanded in this manner. The cloud appeared 
sometimes bright, at others dark and spotted, as it was more or 
less impregnated with earth and cinders." 

OLD MAN SET OUT ALONE. 

Pliny's curiosity was aroused. He ordered a small vessel to 
be prepared that he might sail closer. The nephew, however, 
could not be aroused to any similar interest. He was too deep in 
his studies to be disturbed, so the old gentleman set out alone. 
It soon became evident that the phenomenon was an unusual and 
most threatening one. Pliny gave orders that several galleys 
should accompany his vessel and steered the little flotilla to the 
foot of Mount Vesuvius, " for the villas stood extremely thick 
upon that lovely coast." As they approached cinders, pumice 
stone and black fragments of burning rock fell on and around the 
ships. 

" They were in danger, too, of running aground, owing to the 
sudden retreat of the sea ; vast fragments also rolled down from 
the mountain and obstructed all the shore." 

The pilot advised retreat. Pliny would not hear of it. 
ic Fortune befriends the brave," he cried and ordered the ships 
press onward to Stabiao. Here he did his best to encourage his 
friends whom he found in great consternation, assured them that 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 283 

the flames which they saw in several places were merely burning 
villages, and after eating supper, retired calmly to rest. 

"Being pretty fat," says his nephew, " and breathing hard, 
those who attended outside actually heard him snore." 

But now the court outside the house was almost filled up with 
stones and ashes. The house itself rocked and swayed. Pliny 
was incontinently aroused from his slumbers. Joining the rest of 
the company he found them planning to make a sortie. They 
decided on seeking the fields for safety. 

Fastening pillows on their heads as a protection from falling 
stones, they advanced in the midst of an obscurity greater than 
that of the darkest day — though beyond the limits of the great 
cloud it was already broad day. When they reached the shore, 
they found the waves running so high that they dared not venture 
out to sea. So Pliny calmly resumed his nap. 

SULPHUROUS VAPORS. 

" Having drunk a draught or two of cold water, he lay down 
on a cloth that was spread out for him ; but at this moment the 
flames and sulphurous vapors dispersed the rest of the company, 
and obliged him to rise. Assisted by two of his servants, he got 
upon his feet, but instantly fell down dead, suffocated, I suppose, 
by some gross and noxious vapor, for he always had weak lungs 
and suffered from a difficulty of breathing." 

Meanwhile the nephew was still in Misenum. Even here 
there was danger, although Vesuvius was no less than fourteen 
miles away. The land rocked like the sea. The sea itself broke 
and ebbed and flowed on the coast in tides as novel as they were 
eccentric. Kxplosion succeeded explosion, roar followed roar from 
the top of the mountain. 

This had now disappeared behind a black and ominous cloud, 
bursting with ominous vapors, whence came intermittent, but 
dazzling flashes of lightning. The light of the afternoon faded 
as the murky pall spread further from its center, and enveloped 
Misenum and the island of Capraae in a common gloom. 

When the sun had set the cloud which veiled the summit was 



284 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

lit up, not only with the intermittent tongues of flame, but also 
with a continuous ruddy glow, as from some vast, hidden furnace, 
while a hail of projectiles fell fast and furious down the sides of 
the mountain. 

So passed the night ; then came the hour of dawn, but not the 
light of day. This, we are told, even at far away Misenum was 
" exceedingly faint and languid." Not yet were the terrors of the 
eruption at an end. The level ground near Misenum, whereon 
the fugitives from the shaken houses had gathered, rocked to and 
fro. The sea rolled back from the land, leaving the shores strewn 
with many marine animals. The cloud that rested on Vesuvius 
became more and more murky, and then seemed to be riven by 
darting sheets of flame. 

Again it came sweeping across the bay. It was blacker than 
any night, "like the blackness of a room shut up." On every 
side " nothing was to be heard but the shrieks of women and 
children and the crying and shouting of men." 

ANOTHER OUTBURST OF FLAMES. 

At length a light appeared, which was not, however, the day, 
but the forerunner of another outburst of flames. These pres- 
ently disappeared, and again a thick darkness enveloped every- 
thing. Ashes fell heavily upon the fugitives, so that they were 
in danger of being crushed and buried in the thick layer that 
covered the whole country. 

Many hours passed before the dreadful darkness began 
slowly to dissipate. When at length day returned and the sun 
even was seen faintly shining through the overhanging canopy 
every object seen changed, being covered over with white ashes 
as with a deep snow. 

Pliny says nothing in his letter of the destruction of the two 
populous and important cities. He tells us that at Stabiae a 
shower of ashes fell so heavily that several days before the end 
of the eruption the court leading to the elder Pliny's room was 
beginning to be filled up. When the eruption ceased Stabiae was 
completely overwhelmed. 



STORY OF Thv: CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 285 

Far more sudden, however, was the destruction of Pompeii 
and Herculane am. 

The two cities were first shaken violently by the throes of 
the disturbed mountain. It is probable that the inhabitants were 
driven by these anticipatory throes to fly from the doomed towns. 
For notwithstanding Dion Cassius, who wrote more than a century 
after the catastrophe and who reports that the two cities were 
buried under showers of ashes "while all the people were sitting 
in the theatre," we now from the evidence furnished by the exca- 
vations that none of the people were destroyed in the theatres, 
and, indeed, that there were very few who did not escape from both 
cities. Dion Cassius doubtless obtained the material for his 
accounts from the traditions of the descendants of survivors, and 
he shows how terrible was the impression made upon their minds. 

He assures us that during the eruption a multitude of men 
of superhuman stature appeared, sometimes on the mountain and 
sometimes in the environs, that stones and smoke were thrown 
out, the sun was hidden and then the giants seemed to rise again, 
while the sounds of trumpets were heard. 

In the superstitions of the Middle Ages Vesuvius assumed 
the character which had before been given to A vermis, and was 
regarded as the mouth of hell. Cardinal Damiano, in a letter to 
Pope Nicholas II., written about the year 1060, tells the story 
of how a priest, who had left his mother ill at Beneventum, passed 
on his way homeward to Naples by the crater of Vesuvius, and 
heard issuing therefrom the voice of his mother in great agony. 
He afterwards found that her death coincided exactly with the 
time at which he had heard her voice. 

VESUVIUS CONTINUED ITS ACTIVITY. 

The phase of activity on which Vesuvius entered in the firsi 
century has continued ever since. During the next fifteen hun- 
dred years eruptions were of occasional occurrence, though of no 
great magnitude. Throughout the long intervals when Vesuvius 
was at rest it was noted that iEtna and Ischia were more or less 
disturbed. 



286 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

Ill 1538 a startling evidence was given that there was no 
decline of energy in the volcanic system of Southern Italy. This 
was the sudden birth of the mountain still known as Monte Nuovo, 
or New Mountain, which was thrown up in the Campania near 
Avernus, on the spot formerly occupied by the Lucrine Lake. 

For about two years prior to this event the district had been 
disturbed by earthquakes, which on September 27 and 28, 1538, 
became almost continuous. The low shore was slightly elevated, 
so that the sea retreated, leaving bare a strip about two hundred 
feet in width. The surface cracked, steam escaped, and at last, 
early on the morning of the 29th, a great rent was made, from 
which were vomited furiously " smoke, fire, stones and mud com- 
posed of ashes, making at the time of its opening a noise like the 
loudest thunder." 

The ejected material in less than twelve hours built the hill 
which has lasted substantially in the same form to our day. It 
is a noteworthy fact that since the formation of Monte Nuovo 
there has been no volcanic disturbance in any part of the Nea- 
politan district, save only in Vesuvius, which for five centuries 
previous had remained in almost complete rest. 

ERUPTION IN 1631. 

But Vesuvius was now to give repeated evidence that its old 
energy was only dormant within it. The first serious intimation 
was the eruption of December 16, 1631. During the last long 
pause a covering of rock and cinder had formed near its crater, 
which had supported woods and pasture lands. 

The eruption blew away this covering in a trice. Seven 
streams of lava poured from the crater and swept rapidly down 
the mountainside, bringing death and destruction along their 
paths. Resina, Granasello and Torre del Greco, three villages 
that had grown up during the period of quiescence, were more 01 
less overwhelmed by the lava torrents. It was estimated thai 
eighteen thousand of their inhabitants were killed. 

What made the horror all the greater was a frightful error oi 
judgment, which has just been repeated at St. Pierre. The Gov- 



STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 287 

ernor of Torre del Greco had refused to be warned in time and 
prevented the people from making their escape until it was too 
late. Not until the lava had actually reached the walls was the 
order for departure given. Before the order could be acted upon 
the molten streams had burst through the walls into the crowded 
streets and overwhelmed the vast majority of the inhabitants. 

Since this great convulsion Vesuvius has never been com- 
pletely at rest for any long interval, though more than a century 
passed before the repetition of a great catastrophe in the year 

1660. 

LATER ERUPTIONS. 

The eighteenth centitry was signalized by repeated eruptions. 
Those which occurred between 1764 and 1779 were carefully 
observed and recorded by Sir William Hamilton, the scientist, 
who was at that time British Ambassador to the Court at Naples. 
The most remarkable eruption in that centu^ occurred, however, 
m 1793, when a lava stream from twelve to forty feet thick swept 
over Torre del Greco and penetrated the sea to a distance of 380 
feet, by which time it had increased to 1204 feet wide and fifteen 
feet high. 

On December 8, 1861, Torre del Greco suffered severely from 
another visitation. The severest eruptions in this century, how- 
ever, were those of 1871 and 1876. In the firsta sudden emission 
of lava killed twenty spectators at the mouth of the crater, and 
only spent its fury after San Sebastian and Massa had been well 
nigh annihilated. 

Fragments of rocks were thrown up to the height of 4,000 
feet, and the explosions were so violent that the whole countryside 
fled panic stricken to Naples. The activity of the volcano, accom- 
panied by distinct shocks of earthquake, lasted for a week. In 
1876, for three weeks together, lava streamed down the side of 
Vesuvius, sweeping away the village of Cercolo and running 
nearly to the sea at Ponte Maddaloni. There were then formed 
ten small craters within the great one. But these were united by 
a later eruption in 1888, and pressure from beneath formed a vast 
cone where they had been. 



288 STORY OF THE CAPTAIN OF A DANISH VESSEL. 

It may seem strange that so dangerous a neighborhood should 
be inhabited. But so it is. Though Pompeii, Herculaneum and 
Stabiae lie buried beneath the lava and the ashes belched out of the 
mouth of Vesuvius, the villages of Portici and Revina, Torre del 
Greco and Torre del Annunziata have taken their place, and a 
large population, cheerful and prosperous, flourishes around the 
disturbed mountain and over the district of which it is the some- 
what untrustworthy safety-valve. 

Probably the most dangerous railway in the world is that up 
the side of Mt. Vesuvius. The lower terminus is from the end 
of the carriage road ; the upper about a thousand feet from the 
crater. The railway carries about five hundred passengers weekly ; 
but the natural conditions under which it is maintained make it 
difficult and uncertain of operation, the streams of lava and the 
clouds of ashes and cinders often obstructing and wrecking the 
track. 

The tourist who ascends Vesuvius does so at the risk of his 
life. It is said that 11,000 tourisis have been killed since it has 
become a fad to make the ascent of the volcano. Formerly the 
trip was made on foot or horseback, and these methods are 
still used to a certain extent. The fact that the central cone of 
Vesuvius collapsed early in 1902, and that long and deep cracks 
have made their appearance, gives rise to reasonable belief that 
startling volcanic disturbances are imminent. Strange as it may 
seem the region is very fertile, and wine-growing is an important 
industry. 






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CHAPTER XII. 

Martinique Under a Mantle oe Darkness. — Life on the 
Island Almost Unendurable. — Extreme Sufferings 
of the Refugees. — Famine and Disease Ravaging St. 
Vincent. 

HPHE situation at Fort-de-France on May 19th may be inferred 
* from reports of eye-witnesses. One of these described the 
latest aspects of the disaster as follows : 

" Alarm continues to fill the island, although no serious erup- 
tion has occurred since Mont Pelee, on May 8th, destroyed the 
city of St. Pierre. The volcano threatens further destruction 
every day, and there are many who believe that an explosion even 
more serious than that already recorded will mark the culmination 
of the activity of Pelee. 

" Ashes were spouted in great clouds from the crater all da}^ 
on May 18th. The explosion began in the early morning, when 
a black column rose above Mont Pelee, accompanied by internal 
rumblings and a tremor of the earth that sent the sea back from 
the land in powerful waves. This column was first caught by a 
current of air that carried in northward. Then an upper air 
current swept it back in the opposite direction. Thus it made an 
immense and well formed ' T,' the base of which rested in a cup 
of flame on the crest of the volcano, from which it sprang. 

"Then the wind veered, and a mantle of darkness was swept 
westward across the island, enveloping Fort-de-France, upon 
which volcanic dust fell to a depth of more than an inch and a 
half. So heavy was the dust that filled the air that respiration 
became a labor, and a fear of suffocation came upon the inhabit- 
ants. Great alarm continued for more than four hours, and it 
was not until the cloud of ashes blew out to sea, early in the 
evening, that confidence was restored. 

"All last night the summit of Mont Pelee had the appearance 
of a gigantic blast furnace, at which great forces were working. 
19-MAR 289 



290 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 

Flames shot skyward in sheets that at times lighted up the entire 
island. For a few minutes the fires would drop back into the 
mouth of the crater, only to reissue with redoubled force. These 
flames continue to stream from the crater, and with so great force 
that they are visible from St. Marie, a village in the extreme north 
of the island. The atmosphere is full of dust and the heat is ter- 
rific. Life on the island is all but unbearable, and the suffering 
of the refugees who continue to crowd into Fort-de-France is 
extreme. 

"Rain fell to-day for the first time in a fortnight. This long 
drouth, and the fact that the grass has been buried under a layer 
of ashes, has made it particularly difficult to obtain fodder for 
horses and cattle, which are dying in unprecedented numbers. 
Notwithstanding the rain, the temperature registers ioo degrees 
Fahrenheit, a mark from which it has receded only during the 
fall of rain since very early in the morning. 

SEVERE MEASURES TO STOP LOOTING, 

" Despite the precautions taken by the authorities, looting 
continues in the north of the island, though it practically has 
been stopped in St. Pierre. In the country many houses have 
been robbed and burned. Soldiers have been sent out with 
instructions to take severe measures, if necessary, to put a stop 
to the disorders. In Fort-de-France supplies are being dealt out 
to the refugees by the authorities. A committee has been formed 
to investigate all applications for relief, so that those unworthy 
shall not impose upon the generous. 

"Martinique mails, forwarded from Paris just prior to the 
disaster, arrived on May 18th. The newspapers print a number 
of private letters from St. Pierre, giving many details of events 
immediately preceding the catastrophe. The most interesting of 
these is a letter from a young lady, who was among the victims, 
dated May 3d. After describing the aspect of St. Pierre before 
dawn, the town being lit up with flames from the volcano, every- 
thing covered with ashes and the people greatly excited, yet not 
panic stricken, she said : 



DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 291 

" ' My calmness astonishes me. I am awaiting the event tran- 
quilly. My only suffering is from the dust, which penetrates 
everywhere, even through closed windows and doors. We are all 
calm. Mamma is not a bit anxious. Edith alone is frightened. 
If death awaits us, there will be a numerous company to leave the 
world. Will it be by fire or asphyxia ? You will have our last 
thoughts. Tell brother Robert that we are still alive. This will, 
perhaps, be no longer true when this letter reaches you.' 

" The Edith mentioned was a lady visitor who was among 
the rescued. This and other letters enclosed samples of the 
ashes which fell over the doomed town. The ashes are a bluish- 
gray impalpable powder, resembling newly ground flour and 
slightly smelling of sulphur. 

"Another letter, written during the afternoon of May 3, 
says : ' The population of the neighborhood of the mountain is 
flocking to the city. Business is suspended, the inhabitants are 
panic-stricken and the firemen are sprinkling the streets and 
roofs to settle the ashes, which are filling the air.' 

WARNINGS FOR MANY DAYS. 

" These and other letters seem to indicate that evidences of 
the impending disaster were numerous five days before it oc- 
curred. It is difficult to understand how it was that a general 
exodus of the population of St. Pierre did not take place before 
May 8. 

" Still another letter says : ' St. Pierre presents an aspect 
unknown to the natives. It is a city sprinkled with gray snow, 
a winter scene without cold. The inhabitants of the neighbor- 
hood are abandoning their houses, villas and cottages and are 
flocking to the city. It is a curious pell-mell of women, children 
and bare-footed peasants, big, black fellows, loaded with house- 
hold goods. The air is oppressive ; your nose burns. Are we 
going to die asphyxiated ? What has to-morrow in store for us ? 
A flow of lava, rain of stones, or a cataclysm from the sea ? Who 
can tell ? Will give you my last thought if I must die.' 

"A St. Pierre paper of May 3 announces that an excursion 



i>92 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 

arranged for the next day to Mont Pelee had been postponed, as 
the crater was inaccessible, adding that notice would be issued 
when the excursion would take place. 

" Governor L'Huerre, of Martinique, has cabled to the Colo- 
nial Minister, M. Decrais, at Paris, announcing that Mont Pelee 
continues to throw up immense quantities of cinders, which, owing 
to a change in the direction of the wind, are now covering the 
southern districts of the island. Violent explosions have been 
heard at Le Carbet. The Governor further declared there is no 
danger of an outbreak on the part of the population of the northern 
districts of the island, as alleged, in consequence of the people 
being out of work. 

AMPLE SUPPLIES EXPECTED. 

"The Governor reports, under date of Fort-de-France, May 18 : 

u 'I have informed the population that supplies by the United 
States naval vessel Dixie and the steamers FontabellaandMadiana 
will arrive here to-day. The cargoes of these vessels will be ex- 
empted from all duties and other charges. This is done on all 
food supplies reaching us. Commander G. W. Mentz and Captain 
Crabb, of the Quartermaster's Department, have just arrived on 
the United States collier Sterling, with the food presented by the 
Government of Porto Rico.' 

" The Ministry of the Colonies totalty discredits the report of 
the destruction of Sainte Marie, Martinique, by fire, which has 
reached here, as despatches do not mention the fact, which they 
certainly would have done if the town had been burned. 

"The congregation completely filled the fashionable Church 
of St. Augustine on the occasion of the solemn service organized 
by the League of French Women in memory of the victims of the 
Martinique disaster. Bishop Corrnon celebrated Mass and pro- 
nounced the absolution. This was the first memorial service for 
the dead of Martinique held in Paris. 

" The officials say the reports of the French Embassies and 
Legations at the various capitals show that the sympathy with 
France abroad is increasing. The latest royal subscription is that 



DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 298 

of the Queen Regent of Spain, who has given 10,000 francs to 
the fund, which now amounts to over 750,000 francs. 

"Acting Governor L'Huerre and the other insular authorities, 
and the committee of doctors appointed, who embarked on 
the French cruiser Suchet at Fort-de-France, proceeded on that 
ship to St. Pierre, to determine whether there was any danger 
in permitting the examinations of the ruins to continue, inas- 
much as a number of the corpses buried there are in a state of 
putrefaction. 

" As the authorities were about to debark at St. Pierre, a large 
quantity of lava flowed into the Riviere Blanche, accompanied by 
an enormous cloud of smoke. The party did not land, and the 
Suchet steamed to the north. In the direction of La Precheur the 
appearance of the volcano was not so terrifying. 

SUPPLIES LANDED AT BASSE POINTE. 

" After the cruiser passed Cape Ste. Marie, the cinders on 
shore were seen to be less thick, and gradually decreased as the 
vessel approached Basse Pointe. Here the Suchet anchored, and 
a small boat came out from the shore, bearing persons who asked 
for food. Thirty-eight barrels of biscuit and eight hogsheads of 
codfish were distributed. There are 600 inhabitants at Basse 
Pointe, and a number of families have fled the village, leaving all 
their property behind. The river at Basse Pointe is filled with 
mud, which appears to be congealing. The bridge there has been 
completely destroyed. The river water has ceased to flow, but 
cattle get water from springs in the neighborhood. There are 
several very fine sugar cane estates in the vicinity of Basse 
Pointe. 

" Several women, with their children and baggage, embarked 
on the Suchet there, and the cruiser returned to St. Pierre. The 
return trip was quite difficult, as the coasts were at times hidden 
from view. 

" Upon reaching St. Pierre the second time, the Government 
authorities landed. There was a strong odor of burnt flesh in the 
town, and flies were beginning to congregate there in great 



294 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 

numbers. Difficulty is had in burning the bodies. The committee 
of doctors examined the ruins and declared that in some parts of 
the town it would be impossible to let the work of excavation 
continue. Access to St. Pierre is difficult. The town is sur- 
rounded by thick clouds of cinders and vapor, and at times it is 
impossible to see more than six feet. 

" Cinders are also falling at Fort-de-France, and the population 
became alarmed, but it is now more quiet. Toward five o'clock in 
the evening breathing becomes quite difficult, and horses show 
signs of disquietude. The United States cruiser Cincinnati and 
the Government tug Potomac are at Fort-de-France." 

SUBSCRIPTIONS SUSPENDED. 

The following statement was given out at the White House, 
May 19th : 

u On Saturday, the 19th, immediately on receiving Consul 
Ayme's despatch, the President directed the Secretaries of War and 
the Navy to inquire and report as to the true condition of affairs 
in Martinique and St. Vincent. These reports will be made pub- 
lic as soon as received. All supplies and all the money subscribed 
hitherto have been urgently needed, but until further information 
is received it is deemed best that the receipt of subscriptions be 
suspended." 

Secretary Hay received the following cablegram from United 
States Consul S. A. MacAllister, at Barbados, West Indies, dated 
the 19th : " Sixteen hundred deaths at St. Vincent ; 4000 destitute. 
Immediate wants supplied. Aid needed for six months. This 
is authentic." 

The Navy Department received the following despatch from 
Commander McLean, of the Cincinnati : " Fort-de-France, May 
19th. — Water barge not needed. Ashes and volcanic dust falling 
thickly here ; now like thick fog; decks covered." 

The Potomac was reported to have reached St. Lucia Satur- 
day, the 17th. 

Cornelius N. Bliss, National Treasurer of the West Indies 
relief fund had received up to noon on May 19th a total of 



DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 295 

$94,000. Gustav H. Schwab presided at a meeting of the Execu- 
tive Committee of the Associated Relief Committees of New York, 
and presented the following cablegram, received by the New 
York Chamber of Commerce from the Chamber of Commerce, 
Barbados: "Ascertained conditions at St. Vincent. Damage, 
$250,000, 1600 deaths, 160 wounded in hospitals, 4000 destitute. 
Immediate wants supplied, but help required for the next six 
months." 

The following reply was sent : " Chamber of Commerce, 
Barbados : Cable received. Our agent on way to island 
authorized to assist." 

The Mansion House West Indian relief fund now aggregated 
$125,000 on May 19th. Lord Salisbury, contributed $500, Lord 
Strathcona and Mount Royal, the Canadian High Commissioner, 
$2500, Lady Strathcona and Mount Royal $1000, Wernher, Beit 
& Co., the South African mining concern, $25,000, and "Anony- 
mous," per Joseph Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary, $500. 

BRITISH CRUISER LANDS SUPPLIES. 

The following is a despatch from Fort-de-France, Island of 
Martinique, May 19th : 

"A party from here has gone to St. Pierre on the British 
cruiser Indefatigable, carrying with them coffins, for the purpose 
of recovering the bodies of the family of Thomas T. Prentis, the 
late United States Consul at that place, who were killed in the 
disaster. The interment of the remains will take place here and 
will be conducted with military honors. The Indefatigable 
brought 120 tons of supplies. 

"There was another eruption from Mont Pelee yesterday. 
Ashes fell here. The volcano is still violently smoking, and 
there are no signs of its ceasing its activity. 

" The United States cruiser Cincinnati and the United States 
Government tug Potomac will be stationed here immediately. 
The Potomac will shortly go to the island of Guadeloupe to bring 
to this place the furniture, books, etc., of the office of the United 
States Consul there, Louis H. Ayme," 



296 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 

Another ominous despatch came from St. Kitts, B. W. L, 

May 19: 

" As the full extent of the disaster worked in St. Vincent 
bv the explosion of Soufriere becomes known the horror is 
increased. Conditions there grow worse day by day, notwith- 
standing the fact that the volcano apparently has returned to its 
state of passivity. The island is famine-stricken, notwithstanding 
the fact that supplies have been sent in from all of the other 
British West Indian Islands. Disease has appeared, and there 
are not enough physicians present to give the required relief. 

" Life in St. Vincent is made almost impossible by the sick- 
ening stench that gives the entire island a resemblance to 
neglected shambles. Everywhere noxious vapors are wafted by 
the torrid winds that seem to be not in the least tempered by the 
surrounding waters. These conditions are bad enough in the 
southern part of the island, about Kingstown, but they are multi- 
plied a thousand times in the Carib country about Soufriere and 
at Georgetown. 

TWENTY-TWO HUNDRED WERE KILLED. 

" Under the direction of the Government, interment has been 
given to 1800 bodies, but other hundreds lie, decomposing, under 
the tropical sun. The official estimate of the victims of the 
volcano has now been increased to 2200. That means that at 
least 400 bodies are uuburied. 

" But that is the least of the trouble. Thus far no effort has 
been made to do more than care for the living and bury the dead. 
All about are dead cattle, polluting the atmosphere, which already 
is heavily laden with disease. In one of the ravines near Morne 
Garou the bodies of eighty-seven Carib Indians were found heaped 
together. Not far away are the carcasses of hundreds of cattle. 

" It has now been ordered that these menaces to life be 
removed. Quicklime is being used to destroy the bodies. Fires 
are burning over the district which was laid in waste by the 
Soufriere, and in these are to be thrust the carcasses of the dead 
cattle. 



DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 297 

" Eruptions have ceased. Soufriere is as quiet as it was be- 
fore the explosions of ten days ago. Arrangements are being 
made for exploration of the new craters. Local scientists believe 
that the forces which were pent up within the earth have been so 
relieved that there is no longer danger of eruptions, and the refu- 
gees in Georgetown and Kingstown are being encouraged to re- 
turn to their homes in the country. Above the Soufriere hangs 
a cloud of sulphurous gas, but the rumblings have entirely ceased, 
and no ashes or lava have been put forth for four days. 

" It has been estimated by the Government that the losses 
from the destruction of produce, growing crops and live stock will 
aggregate $300,000. There will be no sugar or arrowroot pro- 
duced in the island this year. 

" In the hospital there are now 140 patients, all suffering 
from burns or from the effect of inhaling suffocating gases. Sup- 
plies are being given out daily to more than 4000 refugees. It is 
planned that Government loans will be made to such as are able 
to resume work upon estates, and as soon as possible the island 
will be returned to its self-supporting state. It is not desired that 
charity be accepted to any greater extent than is absolutely re- 
quired." 

COMMENTS BY A LEADING JOURNAL. 

" By the prompt action of the Chamber of Commerce of New 
York in buying the cargo of a ship on her way to Martinique, 
relief will be given to the refugees at Fort-de-France almost 
immediately. The vessel is due to arrive there on Saturday, 
the 17th of May, and instructions have been sent to her cap- 
tain by cable to turn over the bulk of the cargo to the relief 
authorities. The assistance sent from the other islands of the 
West Indies will serve to tide over the strain upon the resources 
of Fort-de-France until the arrival of this vessel, and immense 
supplies have been carried by the Dixie which should reach 
Martinique soon. 

"It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, that the immediate 
needs of the sufferers will be met as well as they can be, and the 
attention of the relief committees appointed by President Roose- 



298 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 

velt, as well as of local organizations formed for the same purpose, 
can be directed to maintaining the succor while they perfect plans 
for organized relief. 

" For the time being supplies must be sent without regard to 
expense or the danger of having them diverted from their intended 
purpose. But experience with such disasters tells us that just as 
thieves promptly appeared upon the yet smoking ruins of St. Pierre 
for the purpose of robbing the dead, so also thieves of another kind 
will try to take advantage of the charitable instincts of humanity 
and obtain for their personal use the money and supplies so freely 
given to aid those in real want and distress. It is the duty of those 
in charge of the relief funds to see that every dollar contributed to 
those funds shall go to those who have suffered directly or 
indirectly from the volcanic eruptions, and not to other people. 

ACCOUNT BY A SERVANT GIRL. 

u According to a despatch from Fort-de-France, a servant girl 
was taken from the ruins, who, though fatally injured, was con- 
scious and able to give a slight account of the great convulsion of 
nature. That it came without any special warning may be inferred 
from her statement that she was attending to her ordinary house- 
hold duties when a terrific explosion so frightened her that she 
fainted. While in this condition she was badl^r burned. Recov- 
ering consciousness, she saw two members of the household in 
which she was employed in a similar condition. They died of 
their injuries, and the servant relapsed into unconsciousness. 
She could tell nothing more, and died soon after being taken to 
the hospital at Fort-de-France. 

" Brief as is this recital, it shows that the volcanic explosion 
was instantaneous, and that the inhabitants of the city were at 
once overwhelmed by fire, so that they had no opportunity to 
escape. It also indicates that some of them, at least, were not 
instantly killed, but probably suffered an agonizing death from 
burns. 

" Although every one in St. Pierre at the time of the catas- 
trophe, except one prisoner in jail, appears to have perished, a few 



DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 299 

in the suburbs of the city and in outlying towns on the northern 
end of the island escaped, and are now being cared for in Fort-de- 
France. It is for these survivors and others on the island who 
have been deprived of means of support that help is needed." 

AMERICAN GENEROSITY. 

Later the United States consul at Fort-de-France cabled that 
the needs of the Martinique sufferers would be satisfied with the 
supplies already afloat and that there was no occasion for further 
subscription. If he was right in his estimate of the situation and 
the volcanoes do not renew their work of desolation the demand 
on the generosity of the world has been met and the survivors of 
the Martinique and St. Vincent calamity can be left to their own 
resources. 

Nothiug could be finer than the response which the people 
of this country made to the cry for help from Martinique and St. 
Vincent. The prompt action of the Government at Washington, 
in which it led all the world, was reflected by private beneficence 
all over the country. Other Governments might hesitate and 
look for a precedent. Other people might remain inert and unre- 
sponsive before the great calamity which overtook many thou- 
sands of human beings in the West Indies. 

This is not the American habit. In the presence of great 
misfortune and human distress Americans see a duty before them 
to relieve that distress and mitigate the calamity to that extent 
at least. This has come to be a fixed principle ingrained in their 
nature, so the news of great misfortune and corresponding dis- 
tress is met by subscriptions before there is time even for relief 
organization and appeals for aid. 

The American response to the West Indian calamity illus- 
trated this in a striking manner. Donations came in an uninter- 
rupted stream of magnificent proportions from every quarter. 
This is as it should be. There is little danger of the Consul 
being troubled with an embarrassment of riches through the 
excessive liberality of the people. If the relief organization 
shall receive more money than is required for the present need 



300 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 

no harm can come of it. The money can be kept for another 
emergency. 

Philadelphia has seen the benefit of a Permanent Relief Asso- 
ciation, with funds ready on the instant when a great calamity 
calls for immediate aid. If out of this mighty West Indian trag- 
edy the nucleus of a permanent national relief fund should be 
established a residuum of good will be left out of this great mis- 
fortune. 

Americans have been charged with being controlled by a 
commercial spirit and devoted to the worship of the almighty dol- 
lar. Americans are willing to hustle, to toil, to risk much to get 
that dollar, but they get it to use it, and they have never insisted 
on using it exclusively on themselves. It is because they get it 
that they are able to give it. That they are willing to give it to 
alleviate distress promptly, liberally, without prodding or prompt- 
ing or waiting to see what others will do, shows that this spirit of 
commercialism in the acquisition of wealth gives place to the spirit 
of the good Samaritan in its disposition. 

LESSON FOR THE PESSIMIST. 

The pessimist who likes to regard the past as much better 
than the present will find no confirmation of this view in the 
manner in which the world has responded to the need of relief of 
the West India islanders, stricken by the volcanic convulsions at 
Martinique and St. Vincent. We say "the world" because, while 
most of the aid was tendered from this country, as there was great 
urgency and since from here it would be most promptly available, 
yet Americans have done only what any generous, self-confident 
and prosperous nation ought to have done, if situated as we are. 

Europe, too, has manifested its deep concern for these suffer- 
ers, though belonging to a different hemisphere, and individual 
gifts from the Kaiser, King Edward, and others in high and low 
position alike have shown the strength of the fellow-feeling that, 
when the history of the matter shall be reviewed, will be found, 
without doubt, to have been universal. If there is anything to 
be regretted in this connection^ it is that France and England 



DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 301 

have seemed to display less practical interest in their own colonies 
than we have. 

It is not surprising, however, that the immediate sympathetic 
shock of the double cateclysm should have been heavier here than 
in Europe, or even in the nearer Spanish-American states, where 
news is disseminated less quickly and, owing to the more sluggish 
habit of the popular intellect, is grasped less readily. It is doubt- 
ful, even, if the people of the other West India islands, not in 
immediate proximity to Martinique and St. Vincent, realized more 
thoroughly than we did the greatness of the misfortune. 

But in any event Americans have every right to congratulate 
themselves upon the celerity and efficiency of their response to a 
direful need, even before it had been voiced in actual appeal by its 
surviving victims. The pessimist can find nothing here to gratify 
his eternal spleen. We have given of our abundance freely and 
gladly, and we have given in a way to render this succor trebly 
welcome and many times as useful as it would have been if it had 
been trammeled with grudging investigation and official delays. 

NO EXAMPLE TO EQUAL THIS. 

There is no example in the past of such instant help on a 
large scale to suffering communities from others entirely foreign 
to them. Before the latter half of the nineteenth century it could 
not have happened, because, without the highly developed means 
of communication and transportation of the present day, it would 
have been a physical impossibility. But there is also the thor- 
oughly established fact that the sense of solidarity of mankind 
has had a very great development and has grown much more 
acute within the last few decades. Wars and fightings may con- 
tinue, though in lessening frequency, as we are fain to believe ; 
but the mantle of charity is broadening, and the intelligent senti- 
ment of world-wide co-operation for the common benefit has a 
deeper hold than ever before upon the hearts and intellects of men. 

The next serious volcanic eruption will be from Mont Con- 
seguina, Nicaragua, according to the prediction of Henry H. 
Windsor, who has made an exhaustive study of the proposed 



802 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE 

interoceanic canal routes. Mr. Windsor, who is editor of Popular 
Mechanics, three years before it took place, predicted the eruption 
on Mont Pelee. At that time he said : 

" The earth's crust cannot long withstand the strain under the 
Island of Martinique, and some day there is going to be an out- 
burst from Mont Pelee that will cause devastation unequaled 
except in the destruction of Pompeii." 

Mr. Windsor agrees with Professor Heilprin of Philadelphia, 
that all the islands of the West Indies and the strip of land 
between the continents of North and South America are in the 
region of weakness and may sink into the sea because of the great 
cavities being formed within the earth by the continued eruptions. 
A canal through Nicaragua, says Mr. Windsor, eventually would 
be destroyed by Mont Conseguina. 

LAND OF CONSTANT PERIL. 

" Along a valley formed by the flow of the seas of volcanic 
lava from opposite sides ; through earth that almost continuously 
trembles from internal disturbances, and in the midst of volcanoes 
from which still spout ashes and flames, lies the route of the trans- 
isthmian canal," he says. " No longer ago than 1835 the inhabit- 
ants of all the surrounding country fled in terror from the 
disastrous eruption from the volcano of Conseguina. Earthquakes 
there are now of almost weekly occurrence. 

" The topography of the earth which was formed there by vol- 
canic eruptions is still undergoing radical changes of formation. 
New hills a/e made and new valleys result from the internal dis- 
turbances that seem to never cease. Should the Nicaraguan 
Canal be built there are grave fears that it would only be a ques- 
tion of time when it would be obliterated either by volcanic 
eruption or an earthquke. 

"These volcanoes originally broke out in the bottom of the sea, 
and by their continuous overflow built up and added to the continent 
twenty live miles. Before the formation of the volcanoes, the area 
which is now Lake Nicaragua was formerly a bay behind a long 
point projecting into the Pacific Ocean to the northwest. The 



DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 303 

overflow from the volcanoes built up the shore until it connected 
with and covered the northwesterly end of this point, and this 
changed the bay into the present lake. 

" The canal location is on the west side of the Rio Grande 
and Los Lajas, on the east side between Lake Nicaragua and in the 
gorge of the San Juan. The general plan of the topography is 
recent. In the territory in question are three principal mountain 
ranges — the Costa Rican, having peaks 10,000 and 11,000 feet 
high ; the Nicaraguan highlands, with peaks from 5000 to 7000 
feet high ; and the west coast volcanoes. The latter reach in 
many instances to a height of 6000 feet. The volcanoes lie 
between the Nicaraguan highlands and the line of Costa Rican 
mountains. As is characteristic of Central America, all have a 
northwesterly and southeasterly trend. 

"The volcanoes form a line of isolated peaks, beginning at 
Ometepe, in Lake Nicaragua, and ending with Conseguina,in the 
Gulf of Fonseca. The total length of this volcanic range is 180 
miles. Ometepe and Conseguina are still smoking, occasionally 
ejecting ashes. 

" As the lava from these many volcanoes covered the north- 
westerly end of the original point of land extending into the 
Pacific Ocean and changed the bay into the Lake of Nicaragua, 
so the southeasterly point was covered and built up by the flow 
from the Costa Rican mountains. The two flows were toward 
each other and did not quite join. Between these two flows is the 
location of the Nicaraguan Canal. 

VIEW OF FRENCH EXPERT. 

"The crust of the earth is extremely thin in Nicaragua, and 
I look for the next great eruption there. It may be more terrible 
than anything history has known ; like those the earth experi- 
enced prior to the age of man when mountains and continents were 
formed and obliterated by sinking and upheavals of the earth.'' 
Mr. Windsor received a letter from Bunau-Varilla, the noted 
French engineer, which states : 

" Add to the many difficulties of handling large ships, the 



304 DARKNESS OVER MARTINIQUE. 

rapid current of the river, and the enormous discharge in flood 
seasons of the affluent, reaching often a total of more than 100,000 
cubic feet per second, and taking into consideration, also, the 
violence of the winds, which blow a large part of the year through 
the San Juan Valley and over Lake Nicaragua, to say nothing of • 
the volcanoes and earthquakes and their possibilities, and I have 
no hesitation in saying that a Nicaraguan canal probably would 
soon be destroyed by natural agencies, and if opened and kept 
open for a certaiu length of time would offer small inducements 
to ships on account of the great dangers of its navigation. 

" Think of building a great dam across the San Juan Valley 
140 feet from base to summit, nearly a mile in length, and in a 
country almost constantly disturbed by earthquakes ; in a country 
of marked volcanic activity. Only a few years ago a volcano in 
the neighborhood erupted a mass of rock equal to the total volume 
of excavation needed for the Nicaragua Canal. It should not be 
iorgotten that there is now an active volcano in the midst of Lake 
Nicaragua. 

"It is not necessary to be an engineer to understand that 
masonary work like this, of colossal proportions and constantly 
subjected to the pressures of the waters, could not withstand an 
earthquake shock. Bven if the shock were only sufficient to open 
a slight fissure the pressure and rush of the waters would complete 
the work of ruin. 

"But there are grounds to believe that a volcanic eruption, 
more terrific than anything mankind has known, may occur in 
Lake Nicaragua at almost any time. There have, in prehistoric 
times, been eruptions in Nicaragua beside which that of Mount 
Vesuvius and others known to the human race would pale into 
insignificance. Disturbances of equal intensity may occur again." 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Continued Panic at Martinique. — Mont Pelee Again itf 
Eruption. — Thrilling Escape of a Party of American 
Sailors. — Hundreds of Bodies Afloat in the Sea. 

\ A^RITING from Fort-de-France May 20th, a visitor said: 
* » " Destruction is again threatened by Mont Pelee, the volcano 
having resumed an activity even greater than that exhibited when 
St. Pierre was wiped out of existence. For twenty-four hours the 
volcano has been in constant eruption, and explosions have been 
frequent. All in Fort-de-France are filled with panic. Last 
night was one of terror and wild alarm here. The earth seemed 
to have lost its foundations. Up through the crater of Mont 
Pelee poured a storm of death. 

"The culmination came at an early hour this morning, when 
there occurred an explosion so terrific that walls in this city were 
shaken down and the inhabitants fled to the open country. It is 
said that the force of the explosion was much greater than that 
which accompanied the eruption which poured destruction upon 
St. Pierre. At this time nothing definite is known of conditions 
farther to the north. Smoke fills the air, darkening the sky. 
Ashes and stones are falling steadily. 

"When the heavens are filled with lightning, as frequently 
happens, it can be seen that Mont Pelee has not ceased to throw 
out a great column of lava and stones. There has been a perfect 
calm in the air, yet the waters of the Caribbean are lashed to a 
fury, indicating that the same forces that caused the volcano to 
labor are working tremendous changes at the bottom of the sea. 
Words are inadequate to describe the actual conditions. Disaster 
is expected at any moment, and in the harbor every ship has 
steam up and ready to slip cable and speed away. 

" A severe inundation at Basse Pointe, on the northeast coast 
of this island, at 2 o'clock this morning, swept away twenty 
houses, and fifty other buildings were damaged by the flowing 

20-MAR 305 



806 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

mud, which has swept over the Vallee de la Riviere. There was 

no further loss of life, Basse Pointe having been abandoned several 

days ago. 

AN HEROIC SEARCHING PARTY. 

" Beset by imminent and terrible danger, a party of officers 
and men from the Cincinnati and the Potomac went ashore at St. 
Pierre yesterday, and brought away the body of Thomas T. 
Preutis, American Consul. Advised to forsake their burden and 
save themselves, the men who were carrying the body refused to 
do so. On they stumbled through an atmosphere each second 
growing darker and more stifling. Their ears were deafened b}^ 
the crashes that came from Mont Pelee. In the roadstead the 
British cruiser Indefatigable was running to sea, sounding her 
siren, which most of the time was silenced by the greater noise of 
the mountain. 

" With steam up, the Potomac stood read}^ to run as soon as 
the rescue party could get out from shore and on board. To the 
general din it added its note of alarm. Finally the brave men 
were forced to rest their burden at the water's edge, while they 
made all speed to the Potomac. They were barely in time. As 
the steamship got well underway another flood of fire poured down 
from Pelee and a broad stream of lava ran into the sea, while out 
of the sky rained a storm of rocks and ashes. 

"In spite of the threatening aspect of the volcano, it was 
determined later yesterday to make another attempt to recover the 
bodies of Mr. Prentis and Mr. Japp, the British Consul. By per- 
mission I accompanied the searching party, which was divided 
into two squads. 

" One, led by Knsign Miller, went to the site of the American 
Consulate, and soon had the body of Mr. Preutis encased in a 
metallic and hermetically sealed coffin. Six stalwart fellows 
shouldered the body and started with it for the landing. In the 
meantime another party, led b}^ Lieutenant McCormack, of the 
Potomac, had proceeded to the British Consulate, about a half 
mile to the northward of the American Consulate. Fortunatety, 
this was within view of the crater of Mont Pelee. 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 307 

" Lieutenant McCormack saw a column of smoke and fire 
belch from the volcano, down the side of which a stream of molten 
lava flowed. Directing his men to make all haste back to the 
Potomac, the lieutenant turned aside to give warning to the party 
which was carrying away the body of the American Consul. 

" ' For God's sake, boys, get to the boat quickly if you would 
save your lives !' he gasped. 'The volcano has exploded and 
destruction is upon us.' 

" At that instant there was a crash in the sky, back of which 
it seemed as though scores of thunderbolts had been forged into 
one. As it died away, the loud siren of the Indefatigable, which 
was in the roadstead, screamed a warning. The British cruiser 
almost immediately put out to sea at top speed. Without cessation 
the whistle of the Potomac was blowing. There was another 
rumble, and the sky was filled with lightning. Then as I looked 
backward Mont Pelee cast upward a vast column, a mile or more 
high. By a fortunate turn of the wind the lives of all in the party 
were saved. The ashes, gas, smoke and stones, instead of pouring 
immediately upon us, were carried out over the sea. 

"Working among the ruins were a few Frenchmen who had 
remained ashore after their fellows had fled in fright. These men 
became panic stricken. They fell upon their kness and prayed to 
be saved from the destruction which they feared was about to fall 
upon them. They were in hysteria. All the Frenchmen were in 
tears. Under the circumstances the presence of mind and bravery 
of the American sailors was worthy of the greatest praise. They 
refused to put down their burden. 

"WILL SAVE THE BODY OR DIE." 

u * If we die ' one of them said, ' we will die with this body on 
our shoulders.' 

"His followers had spirit enough to greet this sentiment 
with a cheer. It was heartening, and it served to shame the 
Frenchmen into a show of bravery. As rapidly as possible the 
sailors made their way through the debris to the shore. Once one 
of them stumbled. His fellows waited until he could recover 



308 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

himself, when all went on together, still bearing the encoffined 
body of the Consul. Half a mile was covered in this manner. 
Each minute the sky darkened. The heat was beyond compre- 
hension. In the air was volcanic dust that made respiration 
hard labor. 

" Finally the distance was covered, and at the end it was dis- 
covered that, after all, the body would have to be temporarily 
abandoned. Heavy seas were sweeping shoreward. It was with 
great difficulty that the party was taken on board by the Potomac, 
but it was accomplished safely and just in time. 

"Straight out to sea for five miles ran the Potomac, while all 
eyes watched the eruption, the grandest and most awe-inspiring 
sight ever witnessed by man. There was an inner column of fire 
that reached perpendicularly into the air. About it was a funnel- 
shaped mass of ashes and gas, that could be penetrated by the eye 
only when the flames burned brightest. Several new craters 
seemed to have been formed, and from them lava was flowing down 
to the ocean. As the molten mass joined the water great clouds 
of steam were raised, and the sinister hissing could be heard amid 
the roar of the eruption. 

THE POTOMAC AGAIN PUTS BACK. 

" When the Potomac had been put beyond the apparent dan- 
ger zone an observation was taken. Then the ship was turned up 
the coast, and was run close in under the column of death. As 
close as the ship could be sent without courting destruction, the 
Potomac went to the stream of lava. All about us the sea was 
boiling, and the steam that came up over the sides was so dense as 
to make it all but impossible to see through it. 

"Again a turn was made seaward, and as it was seen that 
the wind had shifted the danger from St. Pierre, we ran back to 
the landing. A party of sailors went ashore and brought off the 
body. We returned then to Fort-de-France, where all was panic. 
Terrible as was the eruption that came last night, it was mild in 
comparison with that which occurred early this morning. Owing 
to the hasty retreat that was made from the British Consulate the 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 309 

body of Mr. Japp, which had been encofHned, was not recovered. 
It is now deemed too dangerous a task to return for the body, which 
lies about a mile back from the shore. 

" Stifling heat preceded the last outburst of Mont Pelee. Not 
a breath of air stirred for two days. Rain fell, and the thunder 
that accompanied it found a deep response from the depths of the 
volcano. Finally there descended npon the island an almost 
overpowering sulphuric vapor. 

" Many of the refugees and a large proportion of the inhabit- 
ants of Fort-de-France slept last night at the water's edge, ready 
to swim out to the ships, should that be necessary, to escape from 
the terrors of the volcano. Many believe that the worst is yet to 
come. Previous eruptions are referred to as proof that the first 
explosions are always followed by others of greater strength." 

STORY BY A SHIP'S OFFICER. 

Bringing two survivors of the steamship Roraima, which 
went through the rain of fire in St. Pierre harbor on the terrible 
morning of May 8 and was swept by the tidal wave, the Quebec 
line vessel Korona, a sister ship, reached New York May 20th. 
The men who passed through that awful experience are First 
Officer Hllery Scott and Charles T. Thompson, colored, who was 
assistant purser of the fated vessel. 

Mr. Scott is a stalwart man of sixty. On the voyage he told 
to Captain John W. Carey, of the Korona, and passengers, his 
story of the horror. Both he and Thompson were still much 
shaken by their experience, and could only tell by snatches what 
really happened. This is his narrative : 

"The Roraima arrived at St. Pierre at half-past six o'clock in 
the morning, and anchored, as usual, about six hundred yards 
from the city. There were about sixty-eight persons on our ship, 
including the crew, five passengers and some agents, peddlers and 
natives from the city who had come aboard. Captain Muggah 
was in the cabin arranging his papers, and I was below superin- 
tending the removal of merchandise consigned to the port. Three 
hundred yards away lay the steamship Roddam. 



310 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

" Suddenly about eight o'clock the sky grew dark overhead. 
The sun seemed to have gone out and the shore became as indis- 
tinct as at twilight. Captain Muggah came on deck at that 
moment and, with a look of fright on his face, sprang for 
the bridge. He had barely reached his post when sea and 
sky were rent by a terrific explosion from Mont Pelee, like a 
half-dozen simultaneous claps of thunder. A rain of fire fell on 
the ship, and with it came the choking fumes of sulphur. 

"'Heave away the anchor!' shouted Captain Muggah. I 
sprang upon the forecastlehead, and, with the aid of two sailors, 
began to take in the cable. The falling fire bit and stung us, and 
our nostrils were filled with the phosphorus that filled the air. 
We had reeled in fifteen fathoms of the chain when Captain Mug- 
gah, who had been joined by Third Officer Thompson, shouted 
again wildly : — 

" ' It's coming ! It's coming ! Open the windlass and let it 
run ! Let it run ! ' 

" We opened the windlass and half the chain had mn out, 
when all at once there came a great river of burning lava rushing 
down the mountain side and into the bay, shoving the water out 
of the harbor. I started to leave the forecastle head, when a great 
wall of water, topped with fire and flame, rushed down upon the 
ship. Inky darkness had fallen on the bay behind us, but shore- 
ward the blazing gases and lava illumined the scene. 

STRUCK THE SHIP BROADSIDE. 

"The wave struck the ship broadside on. She shivered, 
careened and I thought she would go down in the trough of the 
sea. Nearly everything above decks was swept away, funnel, 
masts, rails. I grabbed the iron cover of a ventilator and ran 
toward the steerage with the ventilator over my head to shield it 
from the falling cinders. I was caught in a rush of sailors and 
natives aboard toward the same shelter, knocked down and 
trampled upon. It was at this time that I received burns on my 
neck. 

"The lava was pouring in on the vessel's deck, and members 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 311 

of the crew and passengers were dying all over the deck, caught 
in the fiery stream. I should have been burned to death with the 
rest had not two steerage passengers, colored men from St. Kitt's, 
seized me and dragged me into the steerage. There we stayed, 
and, by wrapping our heads in wet blankets, escaped serious 
injury. 

" Captain Muggah tried to jump overboard when he saw the 
wave coming, but was restrained by Third Officer Thompson. 
Both were swept into the sea together. When the ship righted, 
the captain was along side in the water. Daniel Taylor, the ship's 
carpenter, jumped overboard, and, drawing himself upon a hatch 
cover, dragged Captain Muggah upon it. A patch of fire fell 
squarely upon the captain's head, and when it rolled away it was 
apparent he was dead. Taylor jumped off the float to reach the 
ship, but was burned to death in the water. Captain Muggah's 
body floated away on the hatch cover, which was burning at four 
corners like a funeral pyre. 

MONT PELEE AGAIN IN ACTION. 

" I remained below until the rain of fire ceased, and then went 
on deck. Mont Pelee was still in action, but dust and sand, not 
fire, was falling. It was still as dark as night in the harbor. It 
could not have been more than two or three minutes between the 
time the sky first darkened to the time the rain of fire ceased, and 
I returned to the deck. Of the sixty-eight persons on board only 
thirty remained alive, and the vessel was afire in a dozen places. 

" I saw the Roddam coming down upon us, apparently 
unmanageable. There was a man at the Roddain's wheel and I 
ran below, seized some blue fire and bnrned it to warn the Roddam 
off. She nearly collided, backed away and turned to sea. Then 
I turned my attention to his own crew. Only five or six were fit 
for duty. We together carried our suffering comrades below and 
made them as comfortable as possible. Then we began to fight 
the fire on the ship. Our struggle continued until noon, then 
most of us began to build a raft out of materials gathered below 
deck. 



312 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

" We were three hours building and provisioning the raft. 
Life preservers were strapped about the injured, rough oars were 
constructed, and even a spar and some sails were got ready, for I 
intended, if possible, to make my way toward the open sea. Sud- 
denly, through the gloom, at three o'clock, we saw the French 
cruiser Suchet loom up twenty ship lengths away. Every man on 
deck shouted together for help, and everybody wept tears of py 
when a boat came alongside and fifteen marines began the work 
of rescue. 

" The Suchet took off thirty persons altogether from the 

Roraima, but some died before the ship reached Fort-de-France. 

Most of them suffered terrible agony, being burned internally as 

well as externally. The red hot lava, during the first few minutes 

it fell, entered their noses and mouths, and even penetrated their 

ears. 

HUNDREDS OF BODIES AFLOAT. 

" I saw hundreds of dead bodies in the bay. They floated 
about in the harbor near the entrance, whence they had been 
borne by the tide, and the entire place was a vast charnel house. 

"First Officer Scott's son was among those lost by being 
swept overboard. Thompson, the assistant purser, owes his life 
to the fact that he was asleep in his bunk when the eruption 
occurred and the tidal wave struck the ship. When the rain of 
fire descended upon the Roraima Thompson drew the bed clothing 
about his face. There was an open porthole in his cabin, and 
the burning lava, rushing in, burned the back of his head, which 
was turned toward the aperture. He escaped other injury." 

Captain Carey of the Korona, said he never saw anything as 
ghastly as the harbor of St. Pierre, when he entered it on the 
morning of May 9. He had heard explosions the day before, and 
ashes and cinders fell on the vessel. He went on : 

"We started for St. Pierre and arrived at 9 o'clock in the 
morning of Friday. Mont Pelee was still sending up smoke and 
dust that spread out like an umbrella and overshadowed the 
landscape. The sea seemed to be covered with a scum which 
resembled mud. As we approached what had been St. Pierre its 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 313 

outlines were invisible in the fire and smoke. At a hundred 
points tongues of fire were shooting up, indicating where buildings 
were burning. 

"We ran toward the anchorage where the Roraima usually 
lies, and there lay a blackened hull which I knew must be she. 
There were three or four other smoking black hulls in the harbor, 
two of fairly large vessels. We steamed through the bay, looking 
for signs of life, but saw none. No trees were standing within a 
distance of miles and the scene was one of indescribable deso- 
lation." 

The Korona remained in St. Pierre Bay an hour, and then 
ran to Fort-de-France where were found the survivors of the 
Roraima. On the way back the Korona ran into St. Pierre harbor, 
in the hope of finding the body of Captain Muggah, but did not 
succeed. When they passed the burning city at 4 o'clock on 
Friday afternoon, the air was then full of sulphurous fumes and 
thick smoke hung over the island. 

SURVIVORS TELL OF THEIR ESCAPE. 

There were twelve white passengers on the Korona. Herman 
Rosenberg, who lives in Philadelphia, visited the hospital of Fort- 
de-France and heard from survivors the story of their escape. A 
native told him that he ran for ten miles when the fire struck St. 
Pierre, until he dropped from exhaustion. People running ahead 
of him were struck down by the fire, and several times he fell over 
their bodies. Kach one struck looked as if he had been hit by light- 
ning. His last fall was near a brook, but when he scooped up the 
water to drink it he found it boiling hot. He lay by the stream 
until rescued by some natives more fortunate than himself. 

Mrs. Kate Krilly, the stewardess of the Korona, has a rocking- 
chair of which she is proud. It was picked up in St. Pierre har- 
bor by the officers of the cruiser Suchet, who gave it to her. 

Charles Thompson, assistant purser of the steamship Roraima, 
referred to above, told the following story of the struggle on that 
vessel in the harbor of St. Pierre, during the eruption of Mont 
Pelee. 



314 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

We left Axtigua at midnight, May 7, and arrived off Mar- 
tinique at daylight May 8. Our people had seen the fire from Mont 
Pelee for many miles at sea during the night, and now as we came 
up into the roadstead in the daylight the pillars and waves of flame 
gushing out of the top of the volcano appeared to be rising a 
hundred feet in the sky. Several of the passengers came on deck 
early to watch the eruption of the volcano. 

The Roraima steamed up to her usual station off the 
northerly part of the city of St. Pierre less than a quarter of a 
mile off shore. The water of the harbor was quite smooth, and 
although enormous quantities of flame and smoke were boiling 
up out of the crater of the volcano the sky was not darkened and 
the view was excellent. 

The crater seemed to be about three and a half miles from 
the shore, a little by the head of us and over the port bow. The 
West Indian and Panama Telegraph Company's steamer Grappler 
was lying moored to a huge buoy. Thus she proved a big screen 
between us and the fury that rolled down upon us afterward. 

SAVED BY THE GRAPPLER. 

Not one of us on the Roraima would have escaped with his 
life if the Grappler had not been in a position to protect us. 
About a mile and a half astern of us the steamship Roddam lay 
at anchor at the quarantine station. Altogether there were many 
ships in the harbor. I went on deck early and found many of the 
passengers and all of the crew who were not on duty below, lined 
up on the port side, watching the show. 

As it was Ascension Day no one in St. Pierre would do any 
work. The company's agent and the stevedore and his assistant 
came alongside the Roraima a little before 7.30 o'clock and notified 
Captain Muggah of the holiday. While on deck they remarked 
to Purser Brown and First Officer Scott that the volcano was at 
its worst. They had never seen it so bad before. Evidently that 
was the opinion of everybody in St. Pierre, for the piers, the 
streets, and in many cases the housetops, were covered with 
spectators, enjoying the majestic spectacle. 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 315 

After our visitors left, Second Mate Moreley said to Purser 
Brown and me : "If the captian gives us permission, will you go 
ashore with me and get as close as we can to the volcano ? " 

I replied : " No. I value my life more than that. I have 
read all about volcanic eruptions, and I wouldn't be foolish enough 
to go near one." 

This was about five minutes before the underground fires tore 
Mont Pelee to pieces. At this time all of the passengers, except 
Mrs. McAllister, who, on account of her delicate health, remained 
in her second cabin stateroom on the port side of the main deck 
amidships, were lined up on the port rail enjoying the sight. 
Most of the crew were lined upon that side, too. I don't suppose 
that there were twenty persons below out of our ship's company 
of sixty-eight. Captain Muggah had not yet left his bed in his 
room under the bridge. 

MONT PELEE BURST OPEN. 

While Moreley, Brown and I were standing in the alleyway 
on the starboard side of the ship, not far from my stateroom, which 
was a little forward of midships, we heard a terrific explosion on 
Mont Pelee. The sound seemed to crush everything flat. We 
saw that Mont Pelee had burst open about one-third of the way 
from the top and fronting us. 

There gushed out of this great vent, which was fully a 
quarter of a mile wide, an awful mass of fire, thousands of times 
greater in size, but like the gush of fire that darts out a cannon 
that is fired at night. At the same time the sea began to boil in 
frothy waves, as if stirred up by some power, the movement far 
below the surface. In less than a minute the fire leaped from 
Mont Pelee down upon the city of St. Pierre, struck the water 
with a frightfully loud hissing sound, and came rolling over and 
over upon itself as it advanced upon us. 

I never saw anything like the rolling of this wave. It advanced 
like a gigantic beach comber of flame, with its top part always 
rolling down and under the mass, and with the after part of it 
constantly rising up to a height of more than a hundred feet, and 



316 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

as the great mass of flame leaped in our direction. Vast clouds of 
steam arose from the contact of fire and water. The fire seemed to 
blot out the city of St. Pierre from our sight. There rose up an 
outcry of myriads of voices. Now, as the fire wave advanced 
close to us, the steam arose in great clouds and cut off from view 
what was left of the ruined city. 

" Run for your life, Mr. Brown ! " I said to the purser, as I 
saw the flame dashing down the mountainside. 

" Oh, no ; it will stop when it gets to the water," Mr. 
Brown replied. That was the last I ever saw or heard of the 
purser. I turned and ran into my room on the starboard side 

of the ship. 

TOSSED IN A BOILING SEA. 

At that moment the Roraima was tossed about in the boiling 
sea and a great whirlpool pulled her far over on the port side. 
Then the terrible hurricane of fire struck her and heeled her far 
over on the starboard side, so that she lay almost on her beam ends. 
At the moment this fire wave swept over us I heard a noise, fright- 
fully loud and threatening. That was the sound of our two masts 
and the smokestack and the port side of the bridge being swept 
away like chaff. 

Even then we had not received the full force of the fire blast, 
for the cable steamship Grappler served as a screen for us. I was 
told that later the Grappler was flung down on her side, blazed up 
in flame in every part of her hull and plunged down beneath 
the water all in an instant. I should have said that when Captain 
Muggah heard the explosion he leaped out of bed, dressed only in 
his night clothes, and ran up on the bridge. He was a brave man. 

" Mr. Scott," he called to the first officer, "get ready to heave 
the anchor." 

Then the captain called down through the tube to Chief 
Engineer McTear : 

" For God's sake, let us get out of this as soon as we can." 

We had full steam up in one boiler and the other fire banked. 
The chief and the third engineer made a rush for the engine room 
to help get the ship going. 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 317 

First Officer Scott yelled to the carpenter, a Swede named 
Benson : " Carpenter, get the windlass ready to heave." The 
carpenter ran towards the windlass, and just then the fire blast 
struck us and swept him away, so that he never reached the wind- 
lass. 

Mr. Scott was running for the companion ladder, so as to get 
up on the forepeak, where he could give further orders, when a 
big, black laborer from St. Kitts, whom we knew only as Squashi, 
seized him around the waist and dragged him into the steerage. 
That act saved Mr. Scott's life, and neither he nor Squashi was 
even singed by the fire. 

WATER WAS SCALDING HOT. 

When I ran into my stateroom on the starboard side of the 
ship my idea was to plunge under the bedclothes in my berth and 
so protect myself from the wave of fire and gas from the volcano, 
but before I got half way covered the fire hurricane hurled the 
ship over almost on her beam ends on the starboard side. The 
porthole of the stateroom was wide open, and the green water came 
dashing in in a great force. It was almost scalding hot. 

The inrush of the water swept me off my berth, and I stag- 
gered out into the middle of my room. The water was so hot that 
I felt as if I was burning up, and I madly tore off my coat and 
waistcoat. As the ship rolled still deeper to the starboard I 
thought she was going to turn turtle and sink. As the Roraima 
lay wallowing in the sea and trying to pick herself up I held fast 
to the electric light fixture. I jumped outside then, into the 
gangway. Captain Muggah was on the bridge giving orders and 
trying to save his ship when the blast of flame overwhelmed him. 
Bareheaded and dressed only in his night clothes, his hair 
was singed off and he was burned from head to foot. Then 
whether he was crazed and delirious by the pain, or whether he 
became so weak that he could not support himself, I do not know, 
but our captain immediately fell overboard. 

Cooper Daniels jumped after him. He caught Captain Mug- 
gah by the shirt collar and tried to bring him back. Just then 



3i8 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

the booty liatcli torn from one of the American schooners came 
floating by and Daniels got onto it and pulled the captain up on it, 
too. For many minutes Captain Muggah lay unconscious and 
Daniels thought he was dead. Then he was surprised to hear him 
say suddenly : 

"Get me back; get me back to Mr. Scott. For God's sake 
get me back to the Roraima. I want to die on board inv ship. I 
am willing to die, but I must go aboard my ship." 

Then the captain lay back as if dead, and he never spoke or 
moved again. When he was convinced that the captain was dead, 
Daniels plunged overboard and swam to the Roraima. As he 
came over the side he saw the stewardess, Mrs. Reid, all burned 
and bleeding, and with her clothes hanging in burned and bloody 
shreds. 

" My God, what's the matter?" cried Daniels. And he ran 
forward to where he had left his companions in the steerage. 

HE SAT THERE DEAD. 

It was at this time that I made my way forward from my 
stateroom. I saw the pantryman, a young fellow, named Hirgston,, 
sitting crouched by the No. 2 hatch. I found that he was dead. 
His hair was all burned off, his skin was scorched black, his 
clothes and skin hung together in ragged patches. The blast of 
flame had passed long ago, but at the moment of the explosion 
there were hurled into the air many tons of hot lava and pumice 
stone. This now came down upon us in a rain of fire. Everywhere 
that they fell they started a fire. 

Ashes were falling with this hail of fire, and breathing was 
almost impossible. It was impossible to see any distance. The 
roaring of the volcano, the shrieks and cries of the dying, the rain 
of fire and ashes, and the poisonous gas everywhere made it seem 
to me as if the end of the world had come and we were all in hell. 
The ship was on fire in both of the holds forward and her saloon 
aft was blazing. 

The rain of burning pumice stone lasted only three or four 
minutes. Mr. Scott, Squashi, Daniels and I stood looking at each 



CONTINUED PANIC At MARTINIQUE. 31$ 

other. Everywhere that we went lay dead men and women and 
dying people, who were so scorched and torn and disfigured by the 
fire that no one could identify them. They were all begging for 
water. I am sure they must have inhaled the flames. 

When we went aft we saw Nurse King and little Margaret 
; Stokes coming to us from the saloon. The nurse was burned, 
but the child was entirety safe, unless she had inhaled flame or 
gas. They begged for water. I ran forward to the messroom to 
draw some, but I found the messroom tank tossed up on deck, 
wrenched apart by the fury of the fire hurricane, and not only 
empty, but scorched dry. I got a pitcher of water from the wash- 
stand in a stateroom. 

"Let's put out the fire in the forehold," Mr. Scott said, and 
we four got fire buckets. We did pretty well with the forehold, 
but forward of that we found the firemen's forecastle smoking and 
went in there. The mattresses were on fire in the firemen's 
bunks. As we pulled out the mattresses to throw water on them 
one dead body after another rolled out on the floor. These were 
the firemen, oilers, etc., who were off duty at the time the volcano 
exploded. The door of the forecastle was shut and the portholes 
opeu. They were not burned, and I believe that they must have 
died from inhaling the flame and the poisonous gases. We put 
out the fire in this forecastle. The rain of fire had ceased, and 
we were groping our way in the darkness that was almost like 
that of midnight. 

THE RODDAM CAME ASTERN. 

A big steamship, which we knew must be the Roddam, came 
up astern of us as if she was going to pass. Mr. Scott ran up on 
the bridge and burned three Costou lights. He got no reply from 
the Roddam. I know now that the only reason why she did not 
answer us was that everybody aboard her was killed or disabled 
except three or four men. Cooper Daniels suggested that we 
throw one of the skids overboard and use that as a raft. We 
launched the skid. 

Then we saw a ship's light coming toward us, and soon we 



S20 Continued panic at Martinique. 

made out the French cruiser Suchet. Some one on the Suchet 
hailed us from the bridge. 

" How many of you are there on board ? " asked the Fiench- 
man. 

" I don't know," answered Mr. Scott, "but some of us are 
dead." 

" Get all the living together, and we will take you aboard our 
ship," the Frenchman called to us. There came to us out of the 
darkness a big cutter, manned by French bluejackets. 

Now, for the first time, we began to take an accurate account 
of how many living there were aboard our ship. Including those 
who showed the very faintest signs of life, there were only twenty- 
two out of our ship's company of sixty-eight. Twelve of our 
injured were taken aboard the Suchet at 9.30 A. M. Most of them 
had the hair burned off their heads. The faces of all of them were 
swollen and cut, and they were disfigured. 

TRANSFERRED TO THE WARSHIP. 

It was necessary to place each sufferer in a sheet, which was 
carried by four men of the Suchet. With two meu lowering the 
sheet by the corners and two standing below, at the edge of the 
slanting deck of the Roraima, to receive them at the rail, our poor 
fellows were lowered with great care, and then handed down aboard 
the man-of-war's cutter. 

Last of all we took Nurse King and the little Stokes child, 
and Mrs. McAllister. The sailors from the Suchet carried Mrs. 
McAllister very tenderly to the side of the ship and lowered her 
into their boat. The captain of the Suchet left a rescue crew on 
board the Roraima to gather up the rest of the sufferers, and headed 
his ship for the city of St. Pierre. 

He picked up about seventy persons at the northerly end of 
the city. Some of them were on rafts, some on logs and some 
were swimming. At 2.30 o'clock we started for Fort-de-France. 
At this time a little of the smoke had lifted, and we had occa- 
sional glimpses of the ruins of the city of St. Pierre. 

The city and all the country around it were blackened with 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 321 

fire, both, the shattered walls of the houses and the remaining 
charred bits of trees and vegetation looming up blank over the 
great clouds of dark, grayish-brown ashes that had settled over 
everything. 

Flames were still arising from hundreds of houses, showing 
that all the inflammable material in them had not yet been con- 
sumed. The shipping at the piers had vanished and had left no 
trace. From the crater of Mont Pelee down to the sea there ran a 
broad river of molten lava, roaring flame at its upper end and the 
hissing sea at its terminus. The last we saw of the Roraima she 
was lying almost on her beam ends, with fire blazing out of the 
steerage, both the holds and the saloon. I have heard since that 
she burned to the water's edge and sank. 

ONLY FOUR HULLS LEFT. 

Out of the fleet that was at anchor in the harbor of St. Pierre 
moored to the wharves only four blazing hulls were left. Four 
of our men died on the short run of ten miles to Fort-de-France, 
so there were only eighteen to take to the hospital there. The 
doctor in charge at the hospital told me that Mrs. McAllister can- 
not live. Out of the eighteen carried to the hospital the doctor 
says only four will survive — Nurse King, the little Stokes 
girl, Second Mate Moreley and Carpenter Benson. 

We left Fort-de-France at 11.30 o'clock Friday, when we 
sighted the Korona. We saw her at the off-shore station, four 
miles away, and we had a native boatman to take us out. We 
were all in rags, and I don't think any of us noticed that until we 
found ourselves on the deck of the Korona. My costume con- 
sisted of a battered old hat that I picked up in Fort-de-France, my 
suit of underclothes and an old pair of trousers tied around the waist 
and at the ankles with marline, no stockings, a man's slipper on 
one foot and a woman's slipper on the other. 

When Mr. Scott and I stepped over the side to the deck of the 

Korona we were so shaking and trembling that we couldn't walk 

or talk. It makes me shake even now to think of the hell that 

we went through at St. Pierre. I am not much burned, as you 

21-MAR 



322 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

can see, but the afternoon that we left the Roraima Mr. Scott 
had to crumble the ashes off my head, where they had caked 
in my hair and formed a crust just as melted sugar would. 
Mr. Scott and myself have suffered more from the terrible shock 
than anything else, and I don't think we will ever get over it 
completely. 

Mr. Scott lost his son, a very fine boy eighteen years old, who 
was taking his last trip with him on the Roraima before going to 
college in Canada. I think in the end that it will be shown that 
altogether the eruption of Mont Pelee killed 47,000 men and 
women in and about St. Pierre. 

An interesting passenger on the Korona was Mrs. H. Merrill, 
of New York, who saw the still smoking ruins of St. Pierre from 
the deck of the ship the day after the disaster. Following is her 
personal narrative : 

" I took passage on the Korona, which was to have touched 

at St. Pierre, May 8th, the day of the explosion of Mout Pelee. 

We escaped with our lives by a lucky chance. The ship remained 

at Barbados instead of proceeding according to schedule to St. 

Pierre. The morning of May 8th we heard sounds as if of terrific 

cannonading. 

SKY BECAME BLACK. 

" In the afternoon I was out with a coaching party. The sky 
was suddenly overcast and it grew darker and darker, until by 
5 o'clock the blackness was intense. 

" During the night a fine volcanic dust was sifted from the 
clouds and fell in blinding and choking quantities. The sky had 
cleared the next day when we sailed, and although Captain Carey, 
of the Korona, knew there had been a volcanic eruption, he did 
not know it was Mont Pelee. We headed for St. Pierre, which 
lay on our regular route, to pick up the mails and take on 
passengers. 

" Fifty miles away the dust from Mont Pelee continued to 
descend, but in lighther quantities. Soon we caught sight of the 
o-reat cloud of steam and smoke hanging above the crater of the 
volcano. We arrived in front of St. Pierre the morning of May 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 323 

9th, the day after the eruption. A thick pall of smoke hung over the 
place and the ruins were still burning. We entered the harbor 
for a closer view, and approached, I believe, within a half mile of 
the Roraima and the other shipping that had been destroyed. 
The Roraima was lying in shallow water and was still 
smouldering. 

" Not a living thing was seen about the harbor, but bodies were 
floating everywhere in the water. When the first officer of the 
Korona saw that a ship of his own line had been destroyed and 
that most of his brother officers had perished he burst into tears. 

NO LIVING THING IN VIEW. 

"Lava was pouring from the side of the mountain, and I saw 
a valley in which hundreds of people had lived completely filled 
with a river of the burning matter. The aspect of the scene was 
whitish, and the mountain and the town were covered with a cloak 
of ashes that looked like snow in the sunshine. A great cloud of 
white vapor was above the active mouth of the volcano. The 
desolation was complete, and there was not a sign of a living 
thing as far as the vision could reach. 

Captain Carey soon discovered that he could do nothing, and 
we made our way to Fort-de-France, where we arrived early in the 
afternoon. Between St. Pierre and Fort-de-France we picked up 
six negroes in a dugout. They had been inland and had escaped 
to the shore and taken to the canoe. When we got within hailing 
distance of them we heard their cry for help. They had been 
burned and had endured much suffering. We landed them at 
Fort-de-France, where we took aboard First Officer Scott and 
Assistant Purser Thompson, of the Roraima, and brought them to 
New York." 

Herman Rosenberg, a resident of Philadelphia, who was near 
St. Pierre during the volcanic eruption and was an eyewitness to 
the death and destruction left by it, described his experience. 
He arrived in New York on the steamship Korona, of the Quebec 
line. 

About forty refugees, mostly negroes, were brought on the 



324 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

ship, together with two of four sailors rescued by the Korona 
from her sister ship, the Roraima, which was destroyed in St. 
Pierre harbor. Of the sixty-eight persons who were on the Ror- 
aima these four men only were saved. Said Mr. Rosenberg : 

" I was at Barbados, about ioo miles south of Martinique, 
May 8. Our vessel, the Korona, was to have sailed the day be- 
fore, but was delayed in shipping a cargo. It was about 4.30 
o'clock in the afternoon when it began suddenly to grow dark. 
About five o'clock we heard what seemed to be a heavy crash of 
thunder, followed by mighty rumblings. Then all was still. 
The darkness continued. The next morning everything was 
covered with a heavy ash and sandy soot. 

" We sailed for Martinique at 5.30 the afternoon of the next 
day, and reached St. Pierre at 9 o'clock the following morning. 
As far as the eye could see inland the utmost desolation prevailed. 
If there is any word that will describe the appearance of the land- 
scape it is ' whitewash.' A vast field of slaking lime might have 
resembled the scene, with the thick, steamy fumes rising continu- 
ally from it. Not a living human being was to be seen— not a tree, 
nor a shrub, nor a blade of grass. Nothing was visible but that 
awful vaporous white, and overtopping all the devilish Pelee, still 
vomiting lava, which flowed thickly down its white sides into 

the sea. 

MANY VESSELS DAMAGED. 

u In the harbor every vessel was stripped of masts and deck 
housings. We could do nothing. Captain Carey had the Korona 
steam about for an hour or so, and then we left for Fort-de-France. 
As we were coming into the harbor we picked up a small boat in 
which were four men. Two of them spoke English. They were 
sailors from our sister ship the Roraima, which had touched at 
St. Pierre, bound to Barbados. 

" It is true that it is foolish to send more money or supplies 
to Martinique. It would be a waste and could only serve to foster 
pauperism. St. Pierre is dead. All its inhabitants are dead, and 
it will never arise from its ashes. Nobody would live there now. 
Outside of St. Pierre the people are not in want. When all the 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 325 

bodies are taken care of there will be little more to do. The vol- 
cano left little to be done." 

Despite tbe fact that the British steamship John H. Barry- 
was 480 miles distant from the island of Martinique on the day 
of the eruption of Mont Pelee, the decks of the vessel were cov- 
ered with a reddish dust, which none on board could account for. 
The Barry, in command of Captain Griffiths, arrived from Maceio, 
Brazil. 

Captain Griffiths said that the first appearance of the dust 
was noticed on the morning of May 9. The position of the vessel 
at that time was latitude 15.49, longitude 50.36, or about 480 
miles to the eastward of the island. For two days the dust settled 
on the decks and in the cabins, until they were covered with a 
coating at least an inch thick. 

LETTER FROM ST. THOMAS. 

"So rapidly have the horrors of the last fortnight piled upon 
one another that it now seems ages since the first news was 
received here. It was Saturday, May 3, just ten days ago, that 
the first cablegram received from Martinique announced the 
activity of Mont Pelee, and gave warning of the disasters that 
were to follow. 

" St. Thomas learned that Pelee had been threatening for ten 
days, and that on May 2 it had begun serious operations. Volumes 
of smoke issued from the mountain, accompanied by rumbling 
noises. At midnight flames had been seen. Naturally, all in the 
neighborhood of the volcano were in a state of consternation. 
Some took the warning and left St. Pierre, but the great proportion 
of the dwellers in the city remained to meet their fate. The next 
day (Sunday) ashes began to fall, and thereafter business in the 
city was practically suspended. 

" It is worthy of note that the flames were first seen to issue 
from the old crater, which had for a century been filled by a lake 
of great depth. The question will be asked, * What became of the 
water that was in the lake ? ' 

" Scientists here believe that it was when this water reached the 



326 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

slumbering fires beneath that the explosion occurred. Cables came 
through on Monday, May 5, telling how the Sabbath had been 
spent in St. Pierre — the last Sabbath that most of those in the 
city were to know. A sea breeze had kept the ashes from falling 
upon the city, and all were more hopeful. Yet the day was one of 
prayer, with Thanksgiving added. 

THE FIRST SERIOUS NEWS. 

" Then came the first really serious news. It was told by the 
cables on Tuesday that there had been an eruption, which had 
destroyed a large sugar factory, the Usine Guerin, two miles from 
St. Pierre. Lava had poured upon the factory, and it was reported 
here that one hundred and fifty persons were missing. It was not 
believed in St. Thomas that this could be true. It seemed impos- 
sible that so great a catastrophe could occur. But a gloom came 
upon the people of this island, who had many friends and relatives 
in St. Pierre. 

"That same day the news was received that La Soufriere had 
become active, and that great trouble had resulted in the island of 
St. Vincent. All of this served only to impress every one with the 
possibility of great disaster, but no one was prepared for the sacri- 
fice that was soon to be reported. 

"With orders to repair the cable between Dominica and Mar- 
tinique, the cable ship Grappler left St. Thomas Monday after- 
noon. Even then it was feared that danger awaited the ship, and 
the captain was instructed to use his own discretion, and to take 
no unnecessary risks. All communication with Martinique 
ceased on Wednesday. It was announced that the cables were 
broken, cutting us off from the islands of Barbados, Grenada, St. 
Vincent and Trinidad, and from Demerara. Detonations were 
heard from the south. It was like the heavy guns of a ship-of- 
war far out at sea. 

" It is now believed that these first detonations were submarine. 
That is indicated by the fact that they were heard on other islands, 
coming from different directions. They were heard over an area 
of more than five hundred miles 



CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 327 

" Panic was beginning to make itself felt here. That night 
(Wednesday) the Valkyrien prudently steamed out of this harbor 
for sea room. It was feared that there would be trouble here and 
that the ship would not have room to manoeuvre for her own 
safety. No news was received here on Thursday until evening, 
when the report was circulated that some terrible calamity had 
befallen St. Pierre. From St. Lucia came a cablegram announc- 
ing that the Roddam, which had left St. Lucia for St. Pierre on 
Wednesday, had returned a wreck, with many dead aboard and 
with others so terribly injured that they could not recover. 

" It had been told by the Captain of the Roddam that St. 
Pierre was destroyed and that all of the shipping in the roadstead 
was gone. That was a terrible blow to us in St. Thomas. We 
knew that the Roraima was there, and it was feared that the Grap- 
pler had gone to St. Pierre from here. That fear was soon known 
to be too well founded. The next day will be long' rembered as 
Black Friday here — a day of mourning and heartrending grief to 
many among us — a day to make even the most thoughtless shud- 
der and stand aghast. The mind first failed to take in the enormity 
of the calamity. 

NO NEARER THAN FIVE MILES. 

" The R. M. S. Esk had failed to communicate with St. Pierre 
on Thursday night. The conditions were then, sixteen hours 
after the catastrophe, so threatening that the captain dared not 
take his ship nearer than five miles, but, loath to leave without 
at least trying to do something, a boat was sent in through the 
impenetrable darkness. How near the boat got we know not, but 
near enough, at any rate, to send us word that St. Pierre was in 
flames not a soul was to be seen. 

" A slight description was received from Captain Gumbs, of 
the Ocean Traveller. He had been driven from St. Vincent by 
the threatening conditions there, and had started for St. Pierre. 

" He had not reached the roadstead when the explosion of 
Mont Pelee occurred. He was near enough to see the awful fate 
of the Grappler, the Roraima and of the other ships in the road- 



828 CONTINUED PANIC AT MARTINIQUE. 

stead. It is his belief that the volcano broke through and formed 
a new crater below the old one, and that the water in the lake 
finally cut through. 

" It can well be understood what an explosion would occur 
under such circumstances. It would account for the sheet of hot 
air that was followed by fire and then by ashes. It would explain 
how the inhabitants were suffocated before they could realize the 
peril that was upon them. What seemed like an eruption, Captain 
Gumbs believes, was an explosion that scattered fire, boiling 
water, hot mud, rocks, ashes and lava for miles, in all directions. 
Meanwhile the terrible news continues, and we in St. Thomas 
fear that other and greater explosions are to come." 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Terrible Panic Follows Fresh Outbreak of Mont Pelee. — 
Frantic Efforts to Escape to the Ships at Fort-de- 
France. — Many Rescued from Under the Shadow of the 
Death-Dealing Mountain. 

/OjN Ma}^ 21st the scenes of ruin and alarm on the ill-fated 
^S island of Martinique were vividly pictured as follows by an 
eye-witness : 

" Another day of terror and panic has been spent by the people 
of Martinique. For six hours yesterday Fort-de-France was liter- 
ally bombarded by Mont Pelee. Stones, many of them incandes- 
cent, rained upon the city from the clouds. Houses were destroyed 
arid fires were started in many quarters. With the stones fell hot 
mud and ashes. The air was so filled with volcanic dust that it 
was barely possible to breathe. At times it seemed as if suffoca- 
tion must be the fate of all who could not be taken on board the 
ships in the harbor. 

" While the loss of life has not been great, the eruption 
yesterday was far worse than that of May 8, when the thirty 
thousand inhabitants of St. Pierre were destroyed. For many 
hours the explosions were so heavy that it seemed as if the island 
would be shaken from its foundation. Down upon the ruins of 
St. Pierre fell great boulders, all red hot, that battered what was 
left of the unfortunate city beyond all semblance of its former 
self. Ashes fell in torrents and it is reported that the site of the 
city now resembles a great gray plain. 

"Thousands have left Fort-de-France. Some have gone into 
the mountains, to almost certain starvation, preferring that to the 
fate that would be theirs if the lava of Mont Pelee buried them in 
the ruins of the city. Others have gone to nearby islands, there 
to depend upon the charity of strangers. 

"Every ship in the harbor is constantly crowded with those 
who would flee at the next appearance of great danger. Clustered 

329 



33$ FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

about the ships are small boats filled with natives, who beg to be 
taken tip. Hundreds, finding it impossible to obtain boats to take 
them to the ships, have swum out, risking their lives in the water 
to avoid the danger which fills them with more terrible dread. 

"One who took this mode of escape is Richard Kadish, of West- 
minster Park, Manchester, England. Mr. Kadish has been travel- 
ing through Venezuela with William R. Grace, Jr., of New York, 
and arrived here a few days ago. When the culminating explosion 
came yesterday morning, and fear struck to the heart of every person 
on the island, Mr. Kadish rushed to the shore and plunged into the 
water. He succeeded in removing his shoes and then kicked off 
his trousers. Being then little weighted with clothing he struck 
out for the British cruiser Indefatigable, which was nearly a mile 
off shore, with steam up and ready to put to sea. He reached the 
ship safely, though much exhausted. He remained until evening, 
when he returned to shore, the explosions having perceptibly 

lessened. 

BRAVE WORK OF AMERICANS. 

" In the excitement time is found to give praise to Lieutenant 
McCormack and the American officers and men under his com- 
mand, who have never lost their presence of mind and are working 
bravely to save those unable to save themselves. The Potomac, 
which Lieutenant McCormack commands, was ordered to run down 
the coast to make observations of Mont Pelee in eruption. Just 
as on Monday the ship was taken down under the volcano, where 
it remained until driven away by the flow of lava, which reaches 
far out into the sea. 

"Lieutenant McCormack brought back a report that new 
fissures have formed in the sides of Pelee and from them lava 
flows in broad streams. All along the shore near St. Pierre the 
water is boiling, and such curtains of steam rise that a view of the 
land is possible only when the wind blows with sufficient force to 
lift them for a few seconds. 

"St. Pierre is described by Lieutenant McCormack as driven 
into the earth. About half the city has been buried deeply under 
ashes, which constantly fall. The heat from the volcano was so 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 331 

great, and the Potomac went so close in shore that she returned 
with the paint on her sides blistered. 

" On the way back from St. Pierre Lieutenant McCormack 
saw a great crowd of men and women on the shore, signalling 
wildly for help. All were taken on board and brought to Fort-de- 
France. Those thus rescued were almost starved. Supplies were 
given to them and they were turned over to the relief committee 
here. 

" From all parts of the island not cut off by the flow of lava, 
refugees are coming into Fort-de-France. The mountain roads 
are filled with panic-stricken and starving natives. Arriving 
here their terrors do not decrease, and they are as anxious to 
press on to some safer place as they were to get here. All the 
roads are dotted with dead, and many are reported to be dying, 
having fallen from weakness on the way. Liberal wages are 
offered for rescuers to go out and assist those who have fallen by 
the way, but the laborers are too full of fear to be tempted by 
any offer. 

CLOUDS THAT WERE FIERY RED. 

"The panic was greatest yesterday when the sun rose, 
shining faintly through the haze of ashes. The skies were filled 
with rolling and whirling clouds that were fiery red. Many be- 
lieved that flames were about to fall upon them from the heavens, 
and the terror that ensued was pitiful. 

" The spectacle was so appalling that the populace could not 
appreciate the sublimity of it. Quickly the streets were filled. 
Soldiers and sailors mixed freely with the citizens, all frightened 
witless. All struggled to get a place of safety, they knew not 
where. All believed that where they were was the place of great- 
est danger. 

"Some cursed in their frenzy, thinking it was prayers they 
were uttering. Others fell on their knees in the streets and be- 
sought protection from above. Few were able to refrain from 
tears. Then when the panic subsided a little there was a general 
scramble for the mountains or the water front. 



332 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

" When the Potomac started for St. Pierre the French cruiser 
Snchet went outside and made a tour of the island in the opposite 
direction. She passed St. Pierre, but had no part in the work of 
rescue of the refugees who had been driven to the shore by the 
storm from the volcano. 

" When the two steamships returned to Fort-de-France they 
found the panic here even greater than when they went away. 
There had been a recurrence of the detonations, and stones had 
again fallen upon the city. A steam launch from the Cincinnati 
picked up one hundred persons who were struggling in the water 
and took them to the Suchet. Scores of others were taken to the 
Cincinnati and to the Potomac. The small boats of the latter ship 
were out constantly, saving many who otherwise must have been 
drowned. This was a work of much danger, as the sea was as 
rough as if a hurricane was blowing. 

SUFFERING FROM LACK OF WATER. 

" Supplies are here in plenty for the present, but great suffer- 
ing has been caused by the lack of water. All of the natural water 
supplies have been polluted by the lava, which has developed 
sulphuric acid. Water is being doled out from the ships and word 
has been sent to nearby islands for a greater supply. 

" Extravagant prices are demanded for transportation. Those 
fortunate enough to own small boats that are sufficently seaworthy 
to make the run from here to the nearest islands are making them- 
selves rich by taking away those who desire to escape the wrath 
of Mont Pelee. Hundreds have gone, and thousands are waiting 
only for an opportunity to get away. 

"Two men of great daring penetrated the island yesterday 
far enough to get a glimpse of Mont Pelee from inland. They 
report that the entire northern half of the island is running with 
fire. The volcano is in constant convulsions. The men say that 
as the clouds of smoke and fire lift the mountain can be seen 
throwing out great quantities of lava and hot mud, which is so 
liquid that it flows like water and is filling the valleys with lakes, 
from which a sickening sulphurous vapor rises." 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 333 

The last words of Thomas T. Prentis, the American Consul 
at St. Pierre, were : " There is no danger. Don't be afraid." 

Mr. Prentis made this remark to Ferdinand Clerc, Mayor 
of La Trinite and one of the millionaire planters in the island, 
who was on St. Pierre half an hour before the eruption occurred. 
Mr. Clerc had been told by his father of the horrors which 
occurred on the occasion of the former eruption of Mont Pelee, 
and, when on May 7th, the mountain began to show signs of 
activity, Mr. Clerc made all arrangements for the removal of his 
family. 

On the morning of May 8th, he was waked about 6 o'clock 
by loud detonations, and looking from his bedroom window he 
saw that the mountain was emitting a thin blue vapor, which by 
its simmering effect he realized to be the over-heated air above 
the crater. 

CALLS ALL HIS FAMILY, 

Without a moment's delay, scarce pausing to dress, Mr. 
Clerc ran out of the house and ordered the negroes to hitch up 
every horse and mule on the farm, and by 7 o'clock he and his 
family had left their home. Twenty-eight relatives and friends 
who had gathered the night before, however, refused to leave in 
such haste, stating that they did not expect there would be an 
eruption before they could get their breakfast. 

As Mr. Clerc drove out of the city he passed the American 
consulate and at the door Mr. Prentis was standing. Mr. Clerc 
called out to him to flee with him, but Mr. Prentis waved his hand, 
laughed and tried to dissuade the planter from going, saying 
there was no danger. 

Scarcely had the carts arrived at Morne Rogue, six miles 
from the cit}^, when Mr. Clerc heard a loud roar and, looking back, 
saw a huge mass of slate-colored stones and ashes burst from Mont 
Pelee and fall on St. Pierre. This was immediately followed by 
a great wall of flame which seemed to rise and topple over upon the 
doomed town. So far as Mr. Clerc could see from Morne Rouge 
the whole eruption did not last above two minutes. 

Mr. Clerc asserts that everyone in the city should have been 



334 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

able to escape the day before, for every barometer in the town was 
wildly fluttering and it was the talk of the town the evening before 
the eruption what this disturbance of atmospheric conditions 
might portend. Mr. Clerc spent several hours on the evening of 
May 7, trying to induce the people to leave, but his advice was 
discredited. 

CONSUL'S BODY BURIED TO VOLCANO'S SALUTE. 

Never before was there a burial such as was given to the body 
of Thomas T. Prentis, the American Consul at St. Pierre. The 
body, recovered from the ruins at the risk of the lives of the men 
who were sent ashore from the Potomac, was taken to the ceme- 
tery back of Fort-de-France. There were brief services at the 
grave, led by Captain McClean of the Cincinnati. About the 
grave stood officers, marines and sailors from the Cincinnati and 
the Potomac. The gloom was made more intense by the knowl- 
edge held by each one present that his own life was in imminent 
danger. 

Salute was fired by the volcano that had brought destruction 
upon the Consul. While the service was being read there was a 
succession of deep, sullen detonations that might have come from 
great guns belonging to a mighty fleet. As the grave was being 
filled a cloud of ashes came over the city and a darkness, as of 
night, followed. 

" With three hundred refugees on board, the collier Helga 
arrived at St. Lucia on the 21st from Fort-de-France. Many of 
those on board had barely sufficient clothing to keep them covered. 
They said that they fled, believing that Fort-de-France was about 
to be destroyed as St. Pierre was. When they left, hot stones 
and mud were raining into the streets of Fort-de-France, and the 
inhabitants had either taken refuge on the ships in the harbor or 
had fled into the mountains south of the city. Many had found 
means of transportation to other islands. 

" While making the trip from Martinique the Helga encoun- 
tered seas that almost swamped her. There is little wind blowing, 
but the ocean is disturbed by some convulsion beneath the surface." 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 335 

From St. Pierre the relief expedition sent from Bridgetown, 
Barbados, the day after the disaster, returned, bringing tales of 
horror. Dr. C. J. Manning, who went on the Solent, gave this 
account of what he saw: — 

"We knew before leaving Bridgetown that the disaster at St. 
Pierre was one that had shocked the world, but we were not pre- 
pared for what we found. Steaming into the roadstead, we saw 
the entire city in ruins, with no sign of life about the place. 
Smoke was rising from the blackened walls, and ashes sifted down 
upon the deck of the Solent. 

" As we neared the shore, the wrecks of nine ships were seen, 
besides the Rorairna, which was still smoking. The sides of the 
Roraima were still hot, and as the water lapped against her it 
sizzled and steam arose. On the deck were two swollen and 
blackened bodies. 

" We found all the large fig trees near the beach uprooted. 
Some with the roots uppermost were without a leaf left on them. 
The boughs were snapped off, and scattered all over the landing 
place. We noticed that one house had fallen in and the ceiling 
laths were twisted all in one direction, just as one might twist a 
handful of straws. This seems to point to the fact that the sudden 
escape of so much heated air from the volcano at the time of the 
great explosion caused a sort of whirlwind, which tore up the 
trees by their roots. 

NO SIGNS OF EARTHQUAKE. 

" There was no sign whatever of there having been a great 
earthquake, as there were no cracks or fissures on the esplanade, 
or anywhere else. Smoke and flame were to be seen in various 
parts of the town, and far above our heads the volcano was send- 
ing out dense masses of black smoke. The Cathedral was smould- 
ering, and here and there we passed houses still aglow and smoking. 
" Wherever we turned there were dead bodies to be seen, 
scorched, blackened, hideous. The greater number were on their 
faces, some with their heads between their hands as if to avoid the 
stifling vapor which suffocated them. 



336 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

" Lying on a deck house that floated to the shore was a body 
which we believe was that of Captain Muggah, of the Roraiina. 
Not far away la}^ a magnificent specimen of a man, evidently a sailor 
who had perhaps floated ashore on wreckage, believing that he had 
escaped the dangers of the burning ship and was safe. He had 
pulled his jumper over his head to avoid the suffocating fumes, 
but all to no purpose. Not one living soul had escaped. 

"Just around a corner from where the body of the sailor lay 
were sixteen bodies in a heap. All must have been running to 
escape death and were overpowered in the twinkling of an eye. 

" There was the body of a slender girl, hardly in her teens. 
Just beyond her lay the bodies of two, evidently mother and 
daughter, their hands tightly clasped. 

STRICKEN WITH SUDDEN DEATH. 

"Showing how sudden death had come upon them, there 
was the body of a boy who had just thrust a crust of bread into 
his mouth. Death had stricken him as his teeth crunched upon 
the bread. He fell without suffering. 

"A little further down the street were the horse and buggy 
belonging to Mr. Barnes, manager of the bank. The horse had 
tucked its head under its body in a vain effort to escape the deadly 
fumes. 

"Everywhere was the same awful story of destruction and 
death. Side by side lay a young woman and a mother who had 
clasped her babe to her breast and had knelt over it, hoping, 
no doubt, to save its life, though death came to her. 

"A report from St. Vincent states that in one house were 
found the bodies of thirty-two persons. One man was sitting by 
a table with a pipe in his mouth, and a little child had its tiny 
hand outreach ed in the act of grasping a toy. All wore the most 
natural expression of countenance, so quickly did the death stroke 
accomplish its work. 

"The new eruption of Mont Pelee is greater than that which 
destroyed St. Pierre, and all in Fort-de-France are filled with panic. 
The island has been shaken by the workings of the forces within 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 337 

the earth, and every one awaits in fear a cataclysm even worse than 
that which only recently filled the world with horror and conster- 
nation. 

" Monday night was one of terror and alarm here. The earth 
seemed to have lost its foundations. Up through the crater of 
Mont Pelee ponred a storm of death. Yesterday there occurred 
an explosion so terrible that walls in this city were shaken down 
and the people were wild with fear, anticipating the fate of the 
residents of St. Pierre. They deserted their houses, and with 
frenzied cries rushed into the streets, making their way with all 
speed to the waterfront to get boats to take them anywhere into 
the open sea to escape the impending danger. Many of them 
carried household effects in their arms, while others ran about 
wringing their hands and crying. There were many vessels in 
the harbor, but they would not send boats ashore. 

DOWNPOUR OF ASHES. 

" Smoke fills the air, darkening the sky. Ashes are falling 
steadily. When the heavens are filled with lightning, as frequently 
happens, it can be seen that Mont Pelee has not ceased to throw 
out a great column of lava and stones. There has been a perfect 
calm in the air, yet the waters of the Caribbean are lashed to a 
fury, indicating that the same forces that cause the volcano 
to labor are working tremendous changes at the bottom of the 
sea. Words are inadequate to describe the actual conditions. 
Disaster is expected at any moment, and in the harbor every 
ship has steam up, and is ready to slip cable and speed away. 

"The cloud which issued from Mont Pelee was composed of 

cinders. It is estimated that 20,000 people rushed out into the 

streets of the town, shrieking and praying. A tidal wave has 

destroyed a portion of the village of Le Carbet. Carbet is a 

southern suburb of St. Pierre. It had a population of 6,000. 

South of Carbet is the Piron de Carbet, a volcanic mountain 3923 

feet high. Precheur, with a population of 4,000, is four and a half 

miles northwest of St. Pierre." 

Letters from victims of the volcanic disaster arrived in Paris 
22-MAR 



338 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

in great numbers. They form a unique series of documents, filled 
with human interest for future historians of the catastrophe. A 
Marseilles merchant received a letter from a married sister in St. 
Pierre, dated May 4, in which she wrote : 

" I write under the gloomiest impressions, though I hope I 
exaggerate the situation. This unchaining of the forces of nature 
is horrible. Since last month I have wished myself far from here. 
My husband laughs, but I see he is full of anxiety and is trying 
to show a brave face in order to raise my courage. He tells me to 
go. How can I go alone ? 

" M. Guerin says the women and children should flee as from 
an epidemic, but that the men, especially those situated like my 
husband and himself, must stay, as otherwise it would cause a 
general panic. All this is very sad. The heat is suffocating. 
We cannot leave anything open as the dust enters everywhere, 
burning our faces and eyes. I have not the courage to attend to 
the necessary household duties. Fortunately we have preserved 
food but we have no heart even to eat. All the crops are ruined. 
It is always thus in these accursed countries. When it is not a 
cyclone it is an earthquake, and when it is not drought it is a vol- 
canic eruption." 

NEW VOLCANOES. 

New volcanoes have been created in the Caribbean country by 
the tremendous forces at work there. Captain Morton Hanson, of 
the Talisman, which arrived in New York harbor from Barbados, 
reported that a crater had opened on Diamond Rock, an isolated 
island off the southern end of Martinique. He says : 

"We left Barbados on May 12th, and that night passed 
around the southern point of Martinique. As we passed Diamond 
Rock I saw a sheet of flame flare out from the side. At first I 
thought it was a steamer burning a signal. We waited until 
daylight when we could see that fire was issuing from a recently 
formed crater. There was much smoke, but no ashes or lava. 
I ordered the Talisman as close in shore as I dared go. Through 
seething water we went until the rock was not more than a quater 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 339 

of a mile away. There could be no doubt of the nature of the 
phenomenon. 

"When we passed St. Pierre, Mont Pelee was still showing 
great activity. We were about a mile from the shore. The sky 
was dark and a pall was spread over the ruins of the city. Off 
Fort-de-France I saw several warships at anchor, each with 
steam up and ready to put to sea at the first sign of disaster. 

" The destruction that had been worked on the island was 
something to make the heart sick. I passed the island only a 
few days earlier, and at that time the stretch from St. Pierre to 
Carbet was a beautiful piece of country. Suburban homes nest- 
ling into the green verdure made it a paradise on earth. When I 
returned the paradise had changed into a region closely resem- 
bling the inferno. I shall return to the West Indies as soon 
as my cargo is unloaded, but the islands can never again appeal 
to me." 

Another ship that arrived — the Alessandro del Bruno, Captain 
Antonio Murza — passed close to St. Pierre on May n. Captain 
Murza saw a number of bodies floating about the bay. One 
small steamer outside was crowded with persons who he supposed 
were survivors rescued from the neighborhood. His ship on the 
afternoon of May 7 passed through a blinding storm of lava dust 
and sulphur fumes. 

SAW MONT PELEE IN FULL ERUPTION. 

When the New York Herald's tug, the M. B. Luckenbach, 
passed St. Pierre, Monday, May 19th, on its way back to San Juan, 
Porto Rico, Mont Pelee was in violent eruption. A column of 
ashes was reaching far into the sky, and stones were raining 
down upon the ruins of St. Pierre. For ten miles out to sea the 
air" was so thick with ashes that all on the vessel were compelled 
to remain below deck to breathe with any comfort. 

Barbados' remarkable experience with volcanic dust on May 
7 and 8 was related in mail advices from that island. It was about 
mid-day on the 7th when loud reports, as of distant cannonading, 
were heard from the west. The reports were repeated every fifteen 



340 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

or twenty minutes, and far out to sea several sharp electrical 
flashes were seen, a large, dark mass began to rise like a heavy 
cloud, gradually spread, became intensely hot, and the sky took 
on a murky appearance as on a gray September day. 

A sudden rise of two feet in the water of the Carernage and 
harbor took place about half-past three o'clock, and then as sud- 
denly subsided. Experts at once knew that a seismic disturbance 
was occurring in a neighboring island, and soon afterward it 
became known that La Soufriere, in St. Vincent, had burst into 
activity. 

By a quarter past four o'clock it had become very dark. The 
mass of clouds had spread over almost the entire sky. Electric 
flashes were to be seen far out to the westward, and an occasional 
flash overhead. Everywhere in the streets persons gathered to 
watch the heavens. By five o'clock it had become so dark that 
lamps had to be lighted, cocks began to crow and those still cloud 
gazing were covered with small gritty dust. Many hoisted 
umbrellas to prevent the dust getting into their eyes. 

BLACK AS MIDNIGHT. 

At six o'clock it was as black as midnight, and belated travel- 
ers had to obtain lanterns to see the way before them. Many per- 
sons had to sleep where the darkness caught them. Flashes of 
lightning continued until half-past nine, accompanied by peals of 
thunder. 

When morning broke dust was everywhere, on roads, grass 
and trees. What the evening before was a pretty little rosebush 
with bright green foliage and crimson flower, now seemed a dismal 
gray shrub. Clouds of dust were still whirling through the air, 
and one could hardly see more than two hundred yards ahead. 
On every side people began to clear the dust away from their door- 
steps and roofs. This continued most of the day, but by mid-day 
the dust storm had stopped. Evening brought plentiful showers, 
which laid the dust on the roads. 

From Kingstown, Island of St. Vincent, Monday, May 19th, 
came this account : " Another great eruption of La Soufriere vol- 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE 341 

cano took place last night, and to-day there is an alarming report 
from a creditable source that Enham Mountain, near the Marri. 
aquia Valley, an old and apparently extinct crater, is showing 
signs of activity. This volcano is only about six miles from 
Kingstown. 

"Throughout Sunday the districts adjoining La Soufriere 
trembled violently, some shocks being felt here. Smoke issued 
from the craters and fissures of the mountain, and the atmosphere 
throughout the island was exceedingly hot. While worshipers 
were returning from church at half-past eight o'clock, in the 
bright moonlight, a luminous cloud suddenly ascended thirty to 
forty miles in the north of the island and drifted sluggishly 
to the northeast. 

"Incessant lightning fell on the mountain, and one severe 
flash seemed to strike about three miles from Kingstown. Thun- 
derous rumblings in the craters lasted for two hours, when they 
diminished until they became murmurings. The rest of the night 
was clear. Ashes fell from ten o'clock until midnight. 

PEOPLE PANIC STRICKEN. 

"The inhabitants were panic stricken by the outbreak, fear- 
ing a repetition of the catastrophe which overwhelmed the Caribs. 
They ran from the streets into the open country, crying and pray- 
ing for preservation from calamity. No one on the island slept 
that night. In the districts near the volcano the rumblings of the 
craters were appalling, and streams of lava flowed down the 
mountain side. 

" Villagers from Chateau Belair and Georgetown are pouring 
into Kingstown, this being the furthest town from the Soufriere. 
The Royal Mail steamer Wear also is bringing refugees from 
Chateau Belair. Kingstown is now congested, and the demands 
on the government are increasing rapidly as more and more per- 
sons are obliged to leave their homes. A thick, smoky cloud now 
overspreads the island. All business is suspended and the streets 
are empty. Every one is filled with fear of the future. The feel- 
ing of suspense is intense. The people pass their time gazing at 



342 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

the northern sky, where the thnnder clouds gather and the mourn- 
ful roaring of the volcano is heard. Ashes and pumice are falliug 
slowly in the out districts." 

This account was forwarded from St. Thomas, May 21st : 
"A report from the Island of Dominica says that at 5.30 
o'clock yesterday morning a curious awe-inspiring fiery cloud, sur- 
mounted by a fleecy white cap, resembling highly polished silver, 
was seen from Roseau (on the west coast of Dominica) on the 
southeast. This phenomenon caused alarm in Dominica, espe- 
cially as lightning followed in its wake. So rapidly have the hor- 
rors of the last fortnight piled upon one another that it now seems 
ages since the first news was received here. Meanwhile the ter- 
rible news continues, and the people in St. Thomas fear that 
other and greater explosions are to come. 

SMOKE AND RUMBLING SOUNDS. 

"It was Saturday, May 3rd, just ten days ago, that the first 
cablegram received from Martinique announced the activity of 
Mont Pelee, and gave warning of the disasters that were to follow'. 
St. Thomas learned that Pelee had been threatening for ten days, 
and that on May 2nd, it had begun serious operations. Volumes 
of smoke issued from the mountain, accompanied by rumbling 
noises. At midnight flames had been seen. 

" All in the neighborhood of the volcano were in a state of 
consternation. Some took the warning and left St. Pierre, but 
the great proportion of the dwellers in the city remained to meet 
their fate. The next day (Sunday) ashes began to fall, and there- 
after business in the city was practically suspended. 

"It is worthy of note that the flames were first seen to issue 
from the old crater, which had for a century been filled by a lake of 
great depth. The question will be asked, 'What became of the 
water that was in the lake ? ' Scientists here believe that it was 
when this water reached the slumbering fires beneath that the ex- 
plosion occurred. It can well be understood what an explosion 
would occur under such circumstances. It would account for the 
sheet of hot air that was followed by fire and then by ashes. It 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 343 

would explain how the inhabitants were suffocated before they 
could realize the peril that was upon them." 

Professor C. Willard Hayes, Chief of the United States 
Geological Survey, said it was a matter of vast moment to the 
people of Martinique to know what the volcano of Pelee holds in 
reserve for them. Is the eruption which obliterated St. Pierre 
only the beginning of a series which are to eclipse it in violence 
or has it done its worst ? 

Prediction, especially at this distance, where actual conditions 
are as yet very imperfectly known, would be extremely rash. A 
consideration of other great eruptions, however, shows that so far 
as known all have a general similarity. Being the product of 
the same forces they have the same characteristics, except as they 
are modified by local conditions. 

STEAM ESCAPES THROUGH CRUST. 

The generally accepted explanation of volcanic phenomena is 
that water gains access to the heated interior of the earth, and, 
being there converted into steam, seeks to escape through the 
rigid rocks of the outer crust. The force of the expanding steam 
slowly accumulates, and when it reaches a point beyond the 
strength of the confining strata an explosion takes place. This 
affords relief, and the confined steam escapes with gradually de- 
creasing violence. This theory is in strict accord with all erup- 
tions which have been carefully observed and recorded. 

A volcanic eruption may usually be divided into three well 
marked phases. First, there is a period which may cover several 
weeks or even months, characterized by earthquakes of more or 
less violence, with subterranean rumbling and the escape of some 
vapor, possibly accompanied by the opening of fissures and the 
extrusion of small amounts of lava. This is the period in which 
the expansive force of the confined water and the strength of the 
overlying rocks are very evenly balanced. 

In many cases no eruption follows, the steam being unable 
to lift the overlying strata before its force is gradually dissipated. 
If, however, the force of the expanding steam continues to increase, 



344 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

the limit of strength of its barriers is reached and a sndden ex- 
plosion takes place. The solid snrface rocks are shattered into 
fragments, and the intensely heated rocks at great depths are 
carried upward by the expansion of the enclosed water. 

CULMINATING POINT OF ERUPTION. 

This is the second phase of the eruption and usually marks 
its culminating point in violence. It is much the shortest of the 
three, generally lasting at most only a few hours, but it is in this 
brief period of extreme violence that most of the destruction is 
usually wrought. 

Following the culminating explosion there is usually a short 
period of comparative quiescence, followed by a second explosion 
similar to the first, but less violent. This in turn yields to a second 
quiet period. This is the third phase of the eruption. 

The vent once formed, a smaller accumulation of steam serves 
to force its way to the surface, and hence the successive explosions 
are on a decreasing scale of intensity, both because the supply of 
explosive is gradually exhausted and also because with each 
explosion the resistance to its escape grows less. This period of 
waning activity may last as long a time as the premonitory 
period. The explosions become gradually weaker and less fre- 
quent until the volcanic activity is entirely extinct. 

This third phase is, like the others, characterized by earth- 
quakes. Enormous quantities of rock are blown out by the explo- 
sions, generally in the form of dust, which is scattered far and 
wide by air currents. This leaves great cavities and extensive 
areas of the surface are sometimes engulfed by the falling in of 
these tops. In this way the caldera, or so-called crater lakes, 
which are frequent in volcanic regions, are formed. 

It will thus be seen that the earthquakes which precede and 
follow an explosive eruption, while both may be equally destruc- 
tive, are due to different causes. Those which precede the erup- 
tion are caused by the rending of the rocks by the expanding 
steam, while those which follow are caused by the readjustment 
of the surface to the alterior subterranean conditions. 



FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 345 

I think, therefore, that the danger which now threatens the 
ill-fated island is not from a renewal of explosive eruptions from 
Mont Pelee — although exceptions of decreasing violence will doubt- 
less continue for some time — but from violent earthquakes and the 
sinking of the surface near the volcano. There is, however, 
little danger of these extending over any considerable portion of 
the island. 

It is extremely fortunate for the science of volcanology and 
for the future welfare of people living in volcanic regions, that 
a group of eminent scientific observers is already on the ground, 
prepared to study this eruption while the evidence of the stu- 
pendous forces which have been active is still fresh. It is an 
opportunity to advance scientific knowledge of these forces such 
as is rarely afforded. With increasing knowledge come increasing 
possibilities for safeguarding human life, and it is quite within 
reasonable expectation that enough will be learned to render a 
catastrophe, such as we have just witnessed, impossible in the 

future. 

LARGE DONATIONS FOR SUFFERERS. 

Gratifying reports came from all parts of our country, show- 
ing that the great disaster had touched the hearts and awakened 
the spirit of liberality among people everywhere. Human sym- 
pathy wiped out the thousands of miles that separate Chicago 
from the Island of Martinique, and about the American's relief 
headquarters there were many evidences of the warmth of feeling 
for the sufferers by the volcanic eruption that overwhelmed St. 
Pierre. 

The quarters at 117 Monroe street were visited by hundreds 
of people, nearly all of whom brought something to express in 
material form the generous promptings of their hearts. Rich and 
poor made the headquarters a Mecca, sought on a mission of 
charity. Merchants sent drays with bales and packages of pro- 
visions, laborers offered their mite in money ; all were impelled 
by the one desire to relieve the suffering of the people, and do 
it promptly. 

Most of those who called personally in the early morning or 



346 FRESH OUTBREAK OF MONT PELEE. 

later in the evening were men who wonld be compelled by the 
draft on their resonrces to deny themselves something at home. 
Most of these were as ready with expressions of sympathetic 
regret and hope that the poor people on Martinique might not 
starve before relief conld be got to them as they were to give their 
contribution. 

Merchants of every degree made more substantial contribu- 
tions with the same hearty good will. The scene about the 
headquarters was one of great activity, the contributions of pro- 
visions being at once made ready and sent off. 

Already a great amount of the necessaries of life was received 
and sent away. Money was cabled to the ports nearest to the 
stricken districts. The supplies shipped from St. Thomas on 
cabled instructions were already in the hands of the famishing 
ones. The provisions diverted to Fort-de-France by Armour & 
Company, averted some of the threatened horrors of famine. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Women and Children Hemmed in by Tide of Lava. — Face 
to Face with a Terrible Doom. — Expedition to Mont 
Pelee. — Child's Pathetic Tale. 

A DDITIONAL accounts, vividly depicting the disastrous volca- 
'** nic outbreak, were received from West Indian journals that 
■reached New York May 2 2d, confirming all that had hitherto been 
stated concerning the overwhelming catastrophe. The Voice of St. 
Lucia, printed at Castries, had this story on May 8 of the days 
preceding the destruction of St. Pierre: — 

" Mont Pelee began to show signs of uneasiness in the last 
days of April. On the third instant it began to throw out dense 
volumes of smoke, and at midnight belched out flames, accom- 
panied by rumbling noises. Flames were again visible at half- 
past five o'clock the next morning, and similar noises were 
audible. At the foot of Mont Pelee are the villages of Precheurs 
and Ste. Philomene. The inhabitants were thrown into great 
consternation by the sights and sounds, and especially by the dark- 
ening of the day by volumes of thick smoke and clouds of ashes, 
which were falling. There was an exodus from all over the district. 
" St. Pierre was on the morning of May 3 covered with a 
layer of ashes about a quarter of an inch thick, and appeared as if 
enveloped in a fog. The mountain was wrapped in the smoke 
which issued from it. The greatest anxiety prevailed, and all 
business was suspended. 

" A very anxious morning was passed on the island May 4. 
Thanks, however, to a sea breeze, the situation appeared better at 
eleven o'clock, but as the breeze died away at sunset, ashes again 
began to fall, and the mountain and its environs presented a most 
dismal spectacle, causing much alarm as to what the night would 
bring forth. Nothing happened, however, and on Monday morn- 
ing, May, 5, although everything was not quite serene, the aspect 
was decidedly encouraging. Less excitement was visible. 

347 



348 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

"At about nine o'clock on the morning of the sixth a private 
telegram came from Martinique, stating that the Plissonneau fam- 
ily had chartered the steamer Topaze, one of the boats of the Com- 
pagnie Girard, and had started for St. Lucia. At about eleven 
o'clock the Topaze arrived with Mrs. Plissonneau, Mr. and Mrs. 
Joseph Plissonneau and three children, Mrs. Pierre Plissonneau 
and child, and others. 

LAVA RAN ONE HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR. 

"They report that at noon on Monday a stream of burning 
lava suddenly rushed down the southwestern slope of the moun- 
tain, and, following the course of the Riviere Blanche, the bed of 
which is dry at this season of the year, overwhelmed everything 
which obstructed its rush to the sea. Estates and buildings were 
covered up by the fiery wave, which appeared to rise to a height 
of some twenty feet over an area of nearly a quarter of a mile. 

" When the torrent had poured itself into the sea, it was found 
that the Guerin sugar factory, on the beach, five miles from the 
mountain and two from St. Pierre, was imbedded in lava. The 
burning mass of liquid had taken only three minutes from the 
time it was first perceived to reach the sea, five miles away. 

" Then a remarkable phenomenon occurred. The sea receded 
all along the western coast for about a hundred yards and returned 
with gentle strength, covering the whole of the sea front of St. 
Pierre, and reaching the first houses on the Place Bertin, This 
created a general panic, and the people made for the hills. Though 
the sea retired again, without great damage being done ashore or 
afloat, the panic continued, intensified by terrible detonations, 
which broke from the mountain at short intervals, accompanied 
with dense emissions of smoke and lurid flashes of flame. 

"This was awful in daylight, but when darkness fell it was 
more terrible still, and, at each manifestation of the volcano's 
anger, people, in their night clothes, carrying children, and lighted 
by any sort of lamp or candle they had caught up in their haste, 
ran out into the dark streets, wailing and screaming, and running 
aimlessly about the town. 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 349 

"The mental strain becoming unendurable, the Topaze was 
got ready, and the refugees hurriedly went on board and started 
for St. Lncia. In the afternoon the gentlemen of the party, hav- 
ing placed their families in safety returned by the Topaze to Mar- 
tinique. 

"In the meantime, telegrams were being sent from Martinique, 
imploring that a steamer be chartered to bring away terrified peo- 
ple from St. Pierre. But the superintendent from the Royal Mail 
Company, at Barbados, would not allow one of the coasting boats, 
the only steamer avilable, to go to Martinique At a little before 
five o'clock in the afternoon cable communication was interrupted 
and remains so." 

On May 21st this description was furnished of the horrible 
conditions prevailing at Fort-de-France : 

NOT DESTITUTE, BUT TERRIFIED. 

"Streams of frightened refugees have been pouring into Fort- 
de-France from all the surrounding country. These people are 
not destitute, but they are terrified. They want only one thing, 
and that is to be taken far away from this island, with which they 
say the gods are angry, and which they will destroy by fire before 
it sinks under the sea. The Consuls here and the officers of the 
war vessels in the harbor are waylaid by scores of persons crazed 
with fear and begging to be carried away. 

"The weather is now calm and beautiful, but the mountain 
is veiled in volcanic clouds, which often assume a very threatening 
aspect, and occasional rumblings are heard. Some heavy and 
very welcome rain fell this morning. 

"The United States steamer Dixie, Captain Berry, from New 
York, arrived to-day, after a quick and safe passage. Her pas- 
sengers include many scientists. Professor Robert T. Hill, Gov- 
ernment geologist ; Professor C. E. Borchgrevink, the Antartic 
explorer ; Messrs. George Curtis and George Kennan and many 
magazine writers and correspondents are also among those who 
arrived on the steamer. 

"The Dixie began landing her enormous cargo of supplies 



350 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

early, and the storehouses on shore soon became congested. This 
is the greatest difficulty of the administration. 

" This morning the United States steamer Potomac, with the 
commanders of the war vessels now here, went to inspect St. Pierre. 
With the greatest difficulty the party succeeded in making a land- 
ing. The effects of the outburst of yesterday were tremendous. 
The huge basalt towers of the Cathedral were pulverized and the 
walls were hurled flat to the earth. The bombardment of volcanic 
stones is not sufficient to account for this, and all evidences point 
to the passage of a furious blast of blazing gas, traveling at enor- 
mous speed and incalculable force. 

NO LIVING WITNESS OF THE DISASTER. 

"The deposit of boulders, ashes and angular stones is enor- 
mous. Not a living human beiug saw what happened at St. Pierre 
yesterday morning. This second eruption was many times more 
violent than that which effaced St. Pierre and swept its people 
from the earth. Nor has all volcanic activity ceased. Vast col- 
umns of smoke and gas still pour from the great crater. New 
fissures have opened on the mountain sides and are vomiting 
yellow whirlwinds, which rush intermittently, now from one point 
and now from another. Boiling mud is also thrown out at times 
in torrents that reach the sea and produce small tidal waves. 

" From a sombre, silent city of death and desolation, St. Pierre 
has become a hideous amphitheatre of fiery, roaring destruction. 
The people are convinced that God is angry with the island and 
means to scourge it with fire and then sink it in the ocean. Utter 
and unreasoning fear possesses all souls. Even Fort-de-France is 
believed to be unsafe. The presence of the relief ships, however, 
are helpful to the people, who say 'the American flag makes 
safety.' 

" The Potomac could not approach close to St. Pierre. The 
Dixie will sail to-morrow for St. Vincent, but the other vessels will 
remain here. The scientists who have arrived will examine into 
the question of the danger of the peaks of Carbet, near Fort-de- 
France becoming active volcanoes. The outbursts of yesterday 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 351 

probably mean a ruined island, as all confidence is lost. ' We 
want not food, but only to leave,' is the cry of all, rich and poor 
alike. 

" Mont Pelee continues to menace the existence of the entire 
island of Martinique. Without cessation, it has been in eruption 
since Monday, the eighteenth of May. A new crater has opened 
on the north side of the volcano, and from this lava pours in a 
broad stream down to the sea. This crater is probably the result 
of the terrific explosion that occurred early Tuesday morning 
when the pent up force seemed to rive the mountain from base to 
summit. 

" It is now known that there has been further loss of life, 
and, what is more distressing, a large number of persons, mostly 
women and children, are imprisoned by the lava streams which 
surround them. It is impossible for assistance to be rendered to 
them by human beings, and nothing less than a miracle can save 
them from the awful death which confronts them. 

ALL ESCAPE CUT OFF. 

" These unfortunates are at Grande Riviere. They were cut 
off from escape when Mont Pelee resumed its labors, Monday, the 
1 8th. The lava that burst from the volcano swept away all 
the road, filled the river channels so that it set the bridges afloat, 
carrying them upon its surface until they were consumed, and, 
reaching the seacoast, spread through the crevasses a bubbling 
mass, so hot as to be almost incandescent. 

" In this way have the women and children at Riviere been 
surrounded. Efforts have been made to reach them, and though 
they can be seen pleading for deliverance, it is impossible to give 
them aid. Their supply of food is limited, if not wholly exhausted, 
and starvation, if not a more terrible fate, confronts them. Grad- 
ualh^, but steadily, the rivers of lava are spreading, and if the 
eruption increases a wave of molten material will sweep away the 
doomed victims. 

"Usine Vive has been destroyed, as has Le Carbet, where 
twenty soldiers perished. Many inhabitants of the village are 



352 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

also believed to have been lost, but it is impossible to tell the 
number. In all Martinique the conditions are impossible to 
describe. 

" Although Pelee has been growing less ugly for a day or two, 
it still presents an appearance that is far from reassuring. Gun- 
like reports are heard at irregular intervals, and after each report 
the mountain top trembles, while some cleft in the summit pours 
forth a fresh stream of lava. Believing that the island is doomed, 
the population continues in a state of pitiful panic. Just as fast 
as possible they are leaving on ships. They do not care where 
they go. All that they ask is a means of leaving the place they 
have come to regard as an inferno. 

" Six hundred refugees have arrived here on the Salvador. 
Two hundred more are expected soon. Those who are here are 
in a sad state of poverty. Many are almost naked, and not one 
has brought more than the clothes he wears. Among the home- 
less ones are many too old or too young to care for themselves. 
Some are orphans, whose parents were victims to the rage of 
Pelee. A relief committee has been formed here, and the author- 
ities are doing their utmost to relieve the distress. 

" Free rations have been distributed, but the supply will not 
last long. It is probable that some of the provisions intended for 
Martinique will come here. 

" Fears are prevalent that a pestilence will result from the 
bodies that float ashore on all the islands. Scores of burned and 
lacerated bodies have floated ashore on Marie Gallante Island, 
south of here. They are being buried, and precautions have been 
taken to prevent an outbreak of disease." 

DARING EXPLORATION OF MONT PELEE. 

The correspondent of the Associated Press at Fort-de-France 
had an interview with M. Clerc, a member of the Legislature of 
Martinique, who explored the vicinity of Mont Pelee. He said : 

"I started Friday last, May 16th, for Mont Pelee by the road 
leading along the coast from Basse Pointe, and, accompanied by 
M. Telliame Chancel, chief engineer of the sugar works, I reached 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 353 

a height of 1235 yards without difficulty, and was able to ascertain 
that the present crater is about 300 yards in diameter. On the 
east it is overlooked by the Morne la Croix, the culminating point 
of the island, having an altitude of 1350 yards, which is com- 
pletely crumbled and mined at its base, as a result of the volcanic 
action, and might easily collapse. The Morne Petit Bon Homme 
has an incandescent aspect. 

" In order to make known our presence at the point where 
we stood, I waved a piece of white cloth, attached to a stick, in 
the air, which was replied to by a corresponding signal from an 
inhabitant of Morne Rouge, who signaled to me in this manner, 
in order to show that he saw us. 

VOLCANO CHARGED WITH ELECTRICITY. 

" We felt a number of electric commotions, and our shoes 
were damaged by the heat. The pond which was situated near 
Morne La Croix is completely dried up. The iron cross, which 
stood at the foot of the mountain, has been melted. Only the base 
of the masonry, on which the cross stood, and the lower part of 
the foot of the cross can be seen. 

"The rims of the crater have very much changed in appear- 
ance, and the heat where we stood was intense, and the whole 
aspect of the mountain was terrifying. Stones fell around us, 
and we picked up large pieces of sulphur, which, however, we 
were unable to retain. The whole spot was charged with elec- 
tricity, which became so violent that we were obliged to retreat. 

" Our descent from the mountain was more difficult than our 
ascent. A blinding rain of ashes fell upon us, and the engineer 
was nearly killed by a large stone which fell near him. We suc- 
ceeded in reaching Basse Pointe on our return, after having been 
four hours on the mountain under the most dangerous circum- 
stances." 

The rain of ashes and volcanic rock which fell at Fort-de 

France caused so much consternation among the inhabitants that 

those who had not left the city were anxious to do so, and large 

numbers were emigrating to the Island of Guadeloupe, where, 
23-MAR 



354 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

it was estimated, 1200 people from Martinique had already sought 
shelter. 

During her last exploring trip about the island the French 
cruiser Suchet, which did not stop at St. Pierre, noticed that all the 
formerly cultivated land between Grand Riviere and Marigot had 
been completely destroyed. The inhabitants of those two towns 
suffered and were still suffering a great deal, but they had not 
yet determined to abandon those localities, and efforts were being 
made to supply them with provisions. 

The Suchet also reports that as she approached that part of 
the island where the land was in a better state of preservation, 
especially between Macouba and Lorraine, a shower of stones and 
sulphur caused those of the population of Morne Rouge who had 
remained there to hastily evacuate that place. For a time some 
apprehension was felt regarding the safety of the detachment of 
French troops quartered at Le Carbet, but there was no loss of life 
among them, according to reports. The French gunboat Joffroy 
took on board about 150 of the inhitants of the neighborhood of 
Le Carbet. It was estimated that about 3000 persons had left 
Fort-de-France for the extreme southern part of the island. 

CHILD'S PATHETIC TALE. 

In the city hospital at Fort-de-France were eight survivors of 
the Mont Pelee disaster — those who were rescued from the steamer 
Roraima. Among them was the little 9-year-old Brooklyn girl, 
Margaret Stokes. She presented a most pathetic figure. The 
child was terribly burned. The end of her nose was burned off, 
and her face was disfigured. Both arms, too, were fearfully 
burned. She was greatly distressed over the loss of her parents. 
She is all alone in the world now. 

" I lived at 349 Twelfth Street, Brooklyn, with mamma," 
little Margaret said. " We came away from there in the ship and 
were going to Barbados, where mamma was born. On the morn- 
ing of the awful fire from the volcano we were at breakfast on the 
Roraima when something knocked us out of our seats. I caught 
hold of mamma's dress and she took me in her arms and carried 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 355 

me out on deck. Fire was falling all around us and mamma tried 
hard to keep the fire from falling on me. She fell down and then 
some men picked her up and carried her away. Miss King, my 
nurse, held me while the men fought the fire and tried to keep 
the ship from burning up. Then a big boat came, and we were 
taken off. I don't want to die — I hope I am not going to die, but, 
oh, I want my mamma — I want my mamma." 

The only friend the child has is the nurse, Miss King, of 
Barbados. Miss King is a quadroon, but is a very capable woman. 
She does not know what to do with little Margaret. The doctors 
say the little girl will recover. The nurse, who so bravely pro- 
tected her little charge, was very badly burned. 

There were terrifying sights in the military hospitals at Fort- 
de-France. Several men were literally burned to pieces, but were 
still living. The whole side of the face of one man was gone, but 
his sight was still preserved. 

Among the patients in this hospital were Charles C. Evans, 
of Montreal, and John G. Morris, of Brooklyn, who were both fire- 
men on the Roraima. They were terribly burned, but were bear- 
ing their suffering bravely. Their bodies were scarred and seared 
by the red-hot volcanic dust. However, they will always have the 
proud record of having saved little Margaret Stokes. Her nurse 
said to me in speaking of these men and of the other Americans 
on the Roraima : 

"The Americans showed no fear. If the natives had helped 
as they did we would have saved the ship." 

CANADA AIDS ST. VINCENT. 

Mr. Joseph H. Choate, the United States Ambassador to Lon- 
don, has informed the State Department that a cablegram from the 
Governor of Windward Islands to the Colonial Office reported that 
the Canadian government had made a substantial effort toward the 
relief of the distress in St. Vincent by supplies of money or in 
kind. 

Canada also would supply the bulk of the timber required for 
rebuilding the destroyed homes. The government of the United 



356 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

States, so Lord Pauncefote was informed, would give ready facili- 
ties for the purchase of timber and expedite its shipment. 

This last reference was supposed to mean that the tariff regu- 
lations would not be allowed to stand in the way of the shipments 
of Canadian timber through the United States to ports where it 
will be taken aboard ship and conveyed to St. Vincent. 

The writer received a letter from St. Vincent dated the 28th 
of April, in which was no mention of any terrestrial disturbance ; 
but a week later, it is said, the island was shaken by earthquakes, 
those seismic precursors of volcanic eruptions, which seem to have 
been lacking from the Martinique disaster. 

The Soufriere had a large lake entirely filling its larger crater, 
one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the West Indies, and 
a thousand feet below the crater brim. The Soufriere was about 
twenty-five hundred feet in height, from sea level to crater brim ; 
but has probably lost much of its altitude since the explosion. 

FATALITY AMONG CARIB INDIANS. 

The loss of life reported from St. Vincent is mainly among 
the Carib Indians, two communities of these people — the last 
descendants of the original cannibals discovered by Columbus — 
living on the slopes of the volcano. 

More steam than smoke has issued from the Soufriere, but 
the ashes and lava flow will compare in volume with the same 
from Pelee. The volcano labored heavily to rid itself of the vast 
volume of water contained in the lake, thus giving rise to immense 
vapor clouds, which rose, it is said, eight miles into the air, in 
shapes suggestive of gigantic wheels, flowers and ferns, played 
upon by flashes of lightning from beneath. Vast physical 
changes are being effected in the Soufriere district, among them 
being the breaking down of hills and the filling of valleys, the 
wiping out of fertile sugar land and the overflow of lava rivers. 
A dozen new streams have been traced, and there were already in 
the island, half as many of the so-called " dry rivers " existing from 
the previous eruption. 

Martinique had a population of about two hundred thousand, 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 357 

at least nearly one-fourth of which was destroyed in a few 
moments. St. Vincent is a smaller island, being only eighteen 
miles long, with an area of not over one hundred and forty square 
miles and about forty thousand inhabitants. It is one of the most 
beautiful islands in the West Indies, perhaps in the world — a trop- 
ical paradise ; but the most of its inhabitants are wretchedly poor, 
like those of other islands where picturesque scenery abounds, and 
this latest dreadful happening, by destroying the best sugar and 
provision lands, will produce a famine and complete the work of 
destruction begun by earthquakes and hurricanes. 

It is now a good many years since I first looked upon Mar- 
tinique, approaching it through the channel between that island 
and Dominica, and the impression received of the first tropical land 
I had ever visited is as vivid to-day as it was then. My first view is 
a long time to look back upon, but no one who has seen the north 
end of Martinique, with the black, frowning mass of Mont Pelee 
rising from the sea, its base wreathed in tropical vegetation, its 
denuded peak peering through evanescent clouds rolled up from 
the ocean by the ever-blowing "trades," can forget the picture. 

A PROMINENT PEAK. 

Pelee, in fact, is the dominate note in that picture, rising as 
it does above a congeries of minor mountains, its four thousand 
feet of bulk giving it prominence. Referring to my notes of that 
time, I find it alluded to as an extinct, at all events quiescent, 
volcano, whose last sporadic eruption, when it threw out smoke 
and ashes only, occurred thirty years before. 

Approaching the island from the Atlantic, the "windward" 
side, the volcano appeared as a mass of dark-green with a serried 
outline, cleft into ravines and black gorges through which ran 
swift-flowing rivers almost innumerable, gushing from internal 
fountains and seeking the sea. 

Rounding the northern end of the island, of which Pelee is 
the outpost, we sailed from the rough waters of the Atlantic into 
the smoother seas of the Caribbean, the hills and moiintains at 
once affording a lee, and the beautiful flying-fish, hundreds of 



358 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

which had skimmed the crest of the Atlantic waves, now disport- 
ing by thousands. The great basaltic cliffs, which towered above 
crescentic, palm-bordered beaches of golden sands, cut off the 
breeze, and our sailing vessel scarce had wind enough left to make 
the roadstead of Martinique's commercial port, St. Pierre. 

The trade winds still blew, however, strong and moisture- 
laden from the windward coast, as evidenced by the pattering 
showers educed by condensation against the mountain sides, and 
a glorious rainbow spanned St. Pierre's mile-long bay from north- 
ern to southern headland, bathing the picturesque city, tier upon 
tier of white-walled houses topped with ferruginous tiles, in a 
golden mist. 

It may be owing to the fact that St. Pierre was the first 
tropical city I had ever seen that it appeared to me the most fasci- 
nating ; but of a truth it possessed many quaint charms all its 
own. It occupied a narrow belt of shore between high, cliff-like 
hills and the strand, its stone-walled houses, white, red, yellow, 
terra-cotta, solidly embanked along the shore and, higher up, 
scattered in picturesque confusion among clumps of tamarind 
and mango trees, with here and there tall palms waving their 
fronds aloft. 

It very much resembled the city of Algiers, minus the mosques 
and the Kasba, but plus the palms. Algiers, as I saw it first, 
beneath a full-orbed moon, impressed me as the most beautiful 
city I had ever looked upon, but I think that if St. Pierre had not 
been so closely compressed between the encroaching hills and the 
sea it could well have vied with the African city. Still, nothing 
could compensate for the loss of that magnificent wall of living 
green which served as the background for St. Pierre's architecture. 

IN LOST ST. PIERRE. 

I cannot but admit that the city was disappointing at close 
view, for the most of the buildings were quite tropically disregard- 
ful of appearances, being without windows or chimneys, of course, 
and made of conglomerate materials. Nature had done much — 
in fact, everything— for the commercial entrepot of Martinique ; 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 359 

man had made a few feeble attempts at adornment. The streets 
were narrow, save along the sea-front, where there was a broad 
quay paved with basaltic blocks. The harbor — or, rather, the 
roadstead, for it lies wide open to the sea — is deep enough to have 
been the crater of old Pelee itself, all approaching vessels having 
to run out an anchor at a short distance from the land and then 
moor by a hawser ashore. 

There they lay, their noses pointed seaward, bobbing up and 
down upon the placid bosom of the Caribbean, with water just 
outside their berths a hundred fathoms deep. This depth of 
water is not a peculiarity of St. Pierre roadstead, however, for it is 
found off Roseau, in the island of Dominica, next adjacent north, 
off Kingstown in St. Vincent, and especially deep in the harbor of 
Saint Georges, Grenada, which is indubitably an old crater invaded 
and filled by the sea. 

BEAUTIFUL ST. PIERRE. 

Having visited St. Pierre several times since my first arrival 
there, and having retained the impression that it was a beautiful, 
though not exactly an attractive, city for residences, I think this 
must be correct. It is said that old Montagne Pelee probably 
blew its own head off, through the generation of steam from 
water that had percolated through its crater-sides. Well, this 
may be a correct assumption, for certes there is water enough in 
the island — or there was — and to spare. 

The atmosphere is ever moisture-laden, streams and rivulets 
run everywhere and in all directions, descending from the central 
mountain masses. The strongest feature in St. Pierre was the 
abundance of water, running through side channels in its streets 
at right angles to the quay, overflowing in numerous fountains 
and oozing out through the soil above the city. 

In the beautiful Jardin des Plantes, adjacent to the city, a 
glorious cascade dropped over cliffs into a basin bordered with 
palms and tree ferns. But for the water, in fact, the city would 
hardly have been very desirable to live in ; for, as it was, the 
odors at times were very nearly overpowering, especially in the 



360 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

wee sma' hours when the domestics threw open the portals of their 
respective domiciles and bore forth the garbage, which they 
dumped in the streams flowing through the gutteis. They ap- 
peared only at appointed hours, the city being as well regulated 
as any of its prototypes in France ; but when they made their 
exit all the sailor folk in the harbor knew of it, from the noisome 
odors exhaled. 

Later on, about an hour after daybreak, the breakfast dishes 
were often washed in the clear water running past the " trottoirs " ; 
still later, most attractive babies, variously colored, from ebon 
and chocolate to cafe au lait and old gold ; but all happy as the 
morn and shrieking from overplus of joy. Should breakfast dish 
or baby be released but for a second, down the steep incline it 
would glide, to be recovered, perchance, only at the shore. 

The public buildings of St. Pierre — such as the theatre, the 
cathedral, bishop's palace, the great barracks for the troops — were 
all massive structures and in good taste. The "magasins" filled 
with European products were sufficiently numerous, and the city 
was well equipped with all the fittings demanded by an ambitious 
metropolis of the twentieth century. 

THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLANDS. 

The greater portion of Martinique's inhabitants are black 
or colored, the African-derived element being vastly in prepon- 
derance and increasing year by year. The female colored Creoles 
of Martinique, particularly of St. Pierre, were celebrated for their 
quaint bizarre costumes, flowing robes of silk or calico, always 
loose and open and of the brightest colors. The dress most 
affected by the domestics, hucksters, and even by women of the 
better class was designed especially for a tropical climate and cut 
with the waistband well up under the shoulder-blades. It was 
locally known as the " costume de Josephine," after a tradition 
that this famous daughter of Martinique adopted it for negligee 
in the seclusion of La Pagerie. 

A love for bright colors and confusion of jewelry is charac- 
teristic of the creole, quadroon and octoroon, even the "Sambo" 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 361 

negress being very particular as to her turban, which must be 
fashioned of the gaudiest bandannas and ornamented to the extent 
of her means. She must have coils of beads, gold brooches and 
pins, and earrings consisting of golden fasces as big as a small 
baby's fist. 

Many of the mixed peoples were handsome withal, and some 
of the girls who came over from the further side of the mountain, 
doing their twenty or thirty miles to market and home again 
every day, were models of symmetry. I used to see them swing- 
ing over the country roads with long, easy strides, immense loads 
of produce, such as bananas, plantains, tanias, piled high upon 
their heads, their forms erect as lances and their torsos such as 
might have excited the envy of a sculptor. These people, and in 
truth all, were contented and happjr, prone to laughter, filled to 
overflowing with an unfailing bonhomie. 

THOSE MOUNTAIN MAIDENS. 

As I recall in memory these mountain maidens that used to 
come to town from the windward coast with their burdens of pro- 
duce, I see their supple forms swaying, their bright eyes and white 
teeth gleaming, and hear again the ripples of musical laughter and 
their cheerful " Bon jours " floating on the morning or evening 
air. They were the brightest of the Martinicans, truly sni 
generis, and it seemed to me that in them the country and the 
climate had found a perfect type, as suited to the tropics as the 
mango or the pomegranate. 

As I was hunting birds those days, my first voyage to the 
Lesser Antilles having been in the pursuit of ornithology, I was 
always more in the county districts than in the city, and so 
became acquainted with the simple, joyous country folk. They 
were always willing to assist me, and frequently a man cutting 
cane in a field would stop his work to show me the haunts of some 
bird or reptile, or one of the mountain maidens would lay down 
her heavy load to point out a humming-bird or to warn me of the 
serpent's lurking place. 

It was the " serpent" of Martinique, and the serpent only, 



362 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIRLE DOOM. 

that the natives feared. They gave no heed to Mont Pelee, believ- 
ing it harmless ; but they were ever on the alert as regards the 
" Fer de Lance, " that most venomous of American serpents, which 
makes its particular habitat in Martinique and the near island of 
Saint Lucia. It was their one haunting fear, by day and by 
night, foi its bite meant death. The serpent itself was so numer- 
ous as to invade the houses even of Saint Pierre and so aggres- 
sively venomous as to seek out its victims — in this respect being 
different from all others of its family. 

THE INEFFICIENCY OF PRAYER! 

When hunting in the Jardin des Plantes, which was practi- 
cally within the city limits, and one of nature's beauty spots — 
with its tall " palmistes," its cascade, its artificial lakes with every 
variety of tropical foliage mirrored in them — I was alway accom- 
panied by an attendant sent especially to warn me when in 
the vicinage of the dreaded "lancehead." 

In one of my journeyings I made my headquarters at the 
little village of Morne Rouge, from which I went out on hunting 
excursions every morning soon after daybreak. I ranged over 
the hills, such as Morne Calabasse and Morne Balisier, even up 
and over the slopes of great Mont Pelee, without seeing many 
serpents, though having several " close calls," my native attend- 
ant told me. 

The name " morne " is applied throughout the French West 
Indies to the high hills and low mountains, but not to the greatest 
elevations ; so there are many " mornes " in Martinique, but only 
one "montagne," that of Pelee, which is further distinguished 
now from having caused the greatest cataclysm within a century. 
This mountain was the focal point of all views at the north end of 
the island, visible all the way from Saint Pierre to Morne Rouge- 
as one crossed the Riviere Roxelane, where toiled half-naked 
washerwomen laundering their "washes" with clubs ; across the 
savane, the level field where military reviews were wont to be held ; 
through vast cane fields and among luxuriant gardens, ever in view 
was the Mont Pelee, sweeping grandly up from sea to cloudland. 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 363 

I used to watch it, together with some of the few French 
people of Saint Pierre, sitting in the Jardin or on a bench beneath 
the mango trees not far from the Grande Rue. Twenty-five 
years ago the white population of the island was relatively 
numerous ; ten years ago I found it lamentably shrunken, and 
now it must be practically extinguished. First the black flood 
having its origin in Africa, then the lava flood indigenous in the 
heart of Pelee, swept the land ; now those French-born people, 
some of them of lofty lineage, are almost extinct. 

There is a small bird in Martinique called "l'oiseau de Saint 
Pierre," because it says, in the patois of the island, " Pierre, priez 
pour nous ; priez pour nous ! " (Peter, pray for us ; pray for us !) 
But the prayers (if offered) of the saint, after whom the town was 
named, were ineffectual as opposed to the wrath of mighty Pelee, 
which has at last overwhelmed both city and people. 

THE CITY BLOTTED OUT. 

The annihilation of St. Pierre, the principal centre of com- 
merce in the French island of Martinique, is unique in one par- 
ticular, so far as verifiable history is concerned. It cannot be 
pronounced the most destructive of human life among the catas- 
trophes resulting from disturbances of the earth's crust. The 
number of victims is computed conservatively at nearly 50,000. 
Considerably fewer lives were lost through the eruption of Mount 
Vesuvius which overwhelmed Herculaneum and Pompeii, if we 
may judge from the paucity of human remains discovered. 

Considerably more persons perished, on the other hand, in the 
earthquake which demolished the greater part of Lisbon about the 
middle of the eighteenth century. What renders the tragedy at 
Martinique "sui generis" is the appalling quickness with which the 
work of destruction was completed. Suddenly, about eight o'clock 
on the morning of May 8, a whirlwind of glowing cinders envel- 
oped the town and the harbor, and in a few minutes all was over. 
Every living thing within the sweep of the fiery hurricane was 
scorched, choked and charred. 

We repeat that, so far as history, accepted as authentic, is 



364 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

concerned, there is no record of a catastrophe equally sudden and 
decisive. For an exact counterpart in this particular Ave should 
have to go back to the tradition respecting the lost Atlantis, 
which was related by Egyptian priests to Plato, and according to 
which the inhabitants of a great island that once existed in the 
Atlantic to the west of the Straits of Hercules were exterminated 
by cyclonic flames attending volcanic eruptions. 

If we can regard the legend as embodying a historical fact, 
this cataclysm occurred thousands of years ago. There would be 
nothing incredible about the story if, first, we could assume simul- 
taneous eruptions on the part of many volcanoes, each rivalling 
that of Mont Pelee in intensity, and if secondly, soundings under- 
taken for the purpose in the Atlantic should indicate the submer- 
gence of a great island in recent geological times. 

ELECTRIC DISCHARGES OF TERRIFIC FORCE. 

This despatch from Castries, St. Lucia, bore date of May 23d: 

"Lieutenant McCormack, who arrived here with the Potomac 
last night, reports having made an unsuccessful attempt to land 
at St. Pierre yesterday morning. On the Potomac at the time 
were the American scientists who went to Martinique on the 
Dixie under the direction of the Washington authorities. 

"Since the more recent eruptions of Mont Pelee the entire 
aspect of the ruins has changed. Lava has covered the entire 
city, effacing all landmarks. The place has the appearance of 
having been entombed for hundreds of years. It will be impos- 
sible to make further search until the volcano has finally lapsed 
into somnolence. 

" As the Potomac ran through the roadstead a huge rent was 
discernible in the south slope of the volcano. From it lava 
flowed incessantly over the hills to the westward and down into 
the sea. 

" When the Potomac left Fort-de-France that city was still 
safe, but panic continued among the inhabitants. Ever since 
Mont Pelee resumed eruption Monday an electric storm has raged. 
Electric discharges of terrific force have been almost continuous, 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 365 

and it is feared that an explosion will occur among the hundreds 
of tons of high explosives stored back of the city. The D'Assas, 
a French cruiser, with a scientific commission, arrived at Fort-de- 
France last night. 

PEOPLE WANT TO GET AWAY. 

" All is quiet at Fort-de-France. The French cruiser Tage is 
engaged in landing the relief supplies which she brought here 
from New Orleans. The steamer San Dominique, from Porto Rico, 
brought here to-day, consigned to Consul Ayme, fifty tons of pro- 
visions sent on board that vessel by Governor Hunt in the name 
of the New York Herald. The vessel also brought ioo tons of 
supplies from the Martinique Relief Committee of Porto Rico. 
The people are more desirous of transportation out of the island 
than of any other relief which can be offered them. 

" The United States steamer Potomac has arrived at St. 
Lucia. She reports that Fort-de-France, Martinique, was not 
injured by the last volcanic disturbance, but that the people of 
the town were panic-stricken. 

" All was quiet at Fort-de- France. Thursday, May 2 2d, 
passed without incident, and the population are becoming much 
calmer, especially as the volcano is gradually losing its terrifying 
aspect. Nevertheless the exodus still continues. Another party 
from Fort-de-France, numbering nearly 1500 people, left last 
evening for Trinidad and other places. 

" These, with about 1200 who have gone to Guadeloupe, and 
many others who have sought refuge at St. Lucia and other 
islands, has considerably lessened the population. Moreover, 
2000 have gone to the southern part of Martinique, where 3000 
refugees have now assembled. Most of the shops are closed 
because of the flight of employes, and also because of the large 
quantities of supplies of all kinds which have now reached this 
port for free distribution. 

"Gendarmes who returned from St. Pierre last evening 
brought several books and valuables which they found in the 
open safes there. These and the other safes had been burst open 



366 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

by irresistible force. All the articles recovered are being cared 
for by the Government. Two more bodies were found at St. 
Pierre yesterday. One was fairly well dressed, but both appeared 
to be the remains of household servants, who had died from 
asphyxiation. 

" From the heaps of cinders in the Rue de Unci dangerous 
emanations of foul gas have been discovered, and the attention of 
the health authorities has been directed to the spot. A new crater 
has formed in the vicinity of Ajoupa Bouillon. A locality known 
as Camas Trianon is causing a good deal of anxiety at present. 
The Capote River is running with hot water. 

" The French cruiser D'Assas has arrived from Brest bearing 
the French Government Relief Commission and large supplies of 
money and provisions. The United States steamers Potomac and 
Dixie and the United States cruiser Cincinnati have sailed for St. 
Vincent, and there are no American warships here. They will 
all probably return to Fort-de-France in two or three days. The 
Dixie landed 600 tons of supplies here. 

NEW CRATER BELOW THE OLD. 

"Scientists who cahie on the steamer Dixie from New York 
again visited St. Pierre yesterday, preliminary to departure for St. 
Vincent. The top of the mountain was clearly visible for a con- 
siderable time. Captain Thomas C. McLean, of the cruiser Cin- 
cinnati, who has carefully observed Mont Pelee, agrees with others 
in reporting that a new crater has been formed below the old 
crater. In the new crater there is a great cinder cone, more than 
a hundred feet high, from which steam and other volcanic matter 
are constantly pouring. 

" It is now the unanimous opinion of the scientists that this is 
an explosive volcano, no real lava ormoya rock material having been 
poured out, only mud, steam, gases and fragments of the old crater 
beds. The scientists compare the mountain's outthrow to the 
steam of a boiler in which the pressure rises to bursting point, 
and they think it possible that a more violent outbreak may occur. 
The scientists remark that the explosions have occurred at pro- 



FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 367 

gressively longer intervals, and that they have also been pro- 
gressively more violent. 

"Thus there were three light eruptions of ashes. On May 
5th, there was an overflow of mud, which caused the destruction 
of the Usine Guerin ; on May 8th, there was the outburst which 
destroyed St. Pierre, and on May 20th, or after an interval of 
twelve days, the last tremendous outburst took place. 

" A new period of rest is now on, and one of two things 
may happen — the pressure may be cou fined for a still longer 
period and then explode with still greater violence, spreading de- 
struction over a vast area, or the mountain may remain quiescent for 
another half century. These explosions were unique in the char- 
acter of the material ejected. Choking, poisonous and blazing 
gases were hurled forth with fearful velocity and force." 

CONTINUED ERUPTIONS. 

Professor Willard Hayes, in charge of the United States Geo- 
logical Survey, made this statement : 

" Cable despatches from Pointe-a-Pitre which state that a 
great light was seen May 2 2d in the direction of Martinique indi- 
cate clearly that the eruptions of Mont Pelee continue with con- 
siderable violence. But the significance is apt to be greatly over- 
estimated. Pointe-a-Pitre is on the island of Guadeloupe, almost 
exactly one hundred miles from Mont Pelee, and midway between 
the two places is the island of Dominica, which contains moun- 
tains more than four thousand feet in altitude. The glow T must, 
therefore, be at least eight thousand feet above sea level if its 
origin is in Pelee. 

" The conditions favorable for the production of such a phe- 
nomenon are very simple. There is, doubtless, a large mass of 
incandescent lava now occupying the greatly enlarged crater. 
This overflows, forming the lava streams, which are described as 
flowing down the mountain's sides in various directions. The 
streams quickly lost their heat and a dark crust forms on their 
surface. 

"The lava in the crater, however, remains incandescent 



368 FACE TO FACE WITH A TERRIBLE DOOM. 

because of its greater mass and because the escaping gases bring 
fresh supplies of heated matter from great depths. This crater 
is like a ladle of molten steel, which is kept in violent ebullition 
by the escape of the occluded gases. 

"The crater will remain in this condition as long as the 
supply of gases is sufficient to enable them to force their way 
through the lava. As this supply gradually diminishes, the lava 
in the crater will slowly solidify, the vent decreasing in size, while 
a new cone is built up by the material thrown out by the recurrent 
explosion. 

" To return to the light observed from Pointe-a-Pitre,the vapor 
thrown out by the volcano condenses, and with the dust carried up 
forms a cloud, which hangs over the crater and is illumined by the 
incandescent lava below. While it is highly probable that inflam- 
mable gases, such as hydrogen and chlorine, are given off by all 
volcanoes in violent eruption and some actual flames may be seen, 
by far the larger part of the illumination, which characterizes all 
such eruptions, is due to the reflected glow from incandescent 
lava. It is precisely what may be observed when the ray from a 
search light is thrown on a mass of steam or smoke. There is, 
therefore, nothing unusual or specially disquieting in the report 
from Pointe-a-Pitre. 

" Later reports will doubtless indicate that the same glow 
has been observed from much greater distances. This report 
may even be regarded as somewhat reassuring. It indicates that 
the air is much clearer and freer from dust than for several days 
following the first eruption. Otherwise the glow from the in- 
candescent lava could not reach clouds eight thousand feet in 
altitude, but would be cut off by the dense pall, which is described 
as hanging low over the island 

" With regard to the reported sounds, it should be remembered 
that every ear in the Lesser Antilles is strained toward Martin- 
ique, and sounds are eagerly noted, which under ordinary 
conditions would be wholly ignored, and it does not follow that 
these reports are louder than those which accompanied the first 
eruption." 



CHAPTER XVI. 

North American Volcanoes. — Famous Mount Shasta. — 
Northern Arizona. — Volcanic Glass. — Craters on the 
Pacific Coast. 

A ZONE of mountains extends along the whole western flank of 
** the American continent, from the northern to the southern 
extremity. This, from Alaska to Terra del Fuego, is associated 
with volcanoes, though the vents are only locally active, and in 
the majority of cases the craters are either ruinous or have disap- 
peared. In the extreme north, a volcanic belt extends from the 
head of Cook's Inlet on the east through Alaska and over the 
Aleutian Isles towards the district already described. The higher 
mountains, however, so far as is at present known, are not volcanic 
— Mount St. Elias, about 18,000 feet, certainly is not. 

The same is probably true of its yet more lofty neighbor, 
Mount Logan, and the other summits near the frontier of British 
and United States territory ; the Alaska coast also, which forms a 
fringe to this region, seems to be free from volcanoes, and the same 
is true of South-eastern Alaska and its islands, with the exception 
of Mount Edgecumbe, an insular volcano which is reported to be 
a basaltic crater about 2855 feet high, and to have been active in 
1796. Eruptions are said to have occurred from Mount Calder 
and other summits on Prince of Wales Island at a slightly earlier 
date ; but these, as Professor I. C. Russell informs us, are as yet 
very imperfectly known. 

The most conspicuous and best-marked belt begins at Cook's 
Inlet on the east, and extends through the Alaskan promontory 
to the Aleutian Islands. It is about a thousand miles long, but 
generally less than forty miles broad. In fact, every volcano in 
it which is known to have been active in historic times can be 
included between two lines on the map of Alaska, twenty-five miles 
apart. Craters in good preservation are numerous, and active 

vents not few, one of which has been alreadynoticed. They occur 
24-MAR 3 ;o 



370 NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

either close to the sea on the southern border of the mainland or on 
islands. 

To this statement as to the geographical distribution one 
exception is known ; some small cones, also of basalt, occur near 
St. Michael on the coast of Behriug Sea, about seventy miles north 
of the mouth of the Yukon River; but there may be others, for 
at present not much of Alaska has been carefully investigated by 
qualified observers. On Copper River, some two hundred miles to 
the northeast of Cook's Inlet, and thus apparently insulated from 
the Aleutian belt, rises Mount Wrangel, a lofty volcano, which was 
in eruption in 1819 and is still steaming, and others of the neigh- 
boring mountains may have the same origin. 

On the western shore also of this inlet are two fine volcanic 
peaks, Redoute and Iliamna, reported to be about 11,000 and 12,000 
feet high. The latter is generally steaming, and a few years ago 
discharged such a quantity of dust and lapilli that the forests were 
killed over hundreds of square miles on the adjacent lowlands. 

VOLCANOES OF ALASKA. 

From this district to Central America no active vents exist, 
though they were once plentiful. In the Canadian territory to the 
south and east of United States Alaska very little is at present 
known of its volcanic history. There are lava sheets about the 
Fraser River of enormous extent, but Dr. G. M. Dawson did not 
discover here any distinct traces of craters, so that very probably 
this portion of the American continent may be compared with the 
northern side of the Atlantic basin, where discharges anciently 
occurred from Antrim at least as far as Iceland, but now continue 
only in the latter region. 

The Columbia lavas, vast sheets of basalt, have been already 
mentioned ; but here, as in the Fraser River district, cinder cones 
and craters are wanting, and the eruptions probably date from about 
the middle of the Tertiary era. They lie to the east of the Cascade 
Mountains, in which volcanoes have certainly existed, but whether 
any retain their craters does not seem to be as yet ascertained. 
There is a tradition that Mount Baker, a fine peak to the west of 



NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 371 

the main chain and in the northern part of. the district (near 
Puget Sonnd), broke ont in 1843, but on this point Professor 
Rnssell is doubtful. 

Mount Rainier, however, a superb peak, not only from its 
elevation, 14,525 feet, but also because it rises practically from 
sea-level, still emits some steam. The highest part is a cone built 
up within the shattered ring of a much older crater, and the ma- 
terials appear to be basaltic. Mount St. Helens (9,750 feet), also 
detached from the main mass, is said to have been in eruption in 
1841-42, and fumaroles still exist on the slopes. Mount Adams 
(9,570 feet), farther south and rather east of the main range, 
apparently retains a crater. 

On the crest of the Cascade Mountains, in Northwestern 
Oregon, Mount Hood rises to a height of 11,225 feet, and is noted 
for the beauty of its outline. Portions only of the wall of its summit 
crater now remain, but there are still fumaroles at considerable 
elevations on the northeast and the south sides. Mount Jeffer- 
son (10,200 feet) and the Three Sisters, a little farther south, in 
the Cascade range, are the sites of ancient volcanoes ; but their 
craters apparently have perished, and to the south of these come 
others of less elevation, which for the most part retain craters 
either at their summits or on their flanks, the most important of 
them being Crater Lake or Mount Mazama, which has been 
already described. 

SUMMIT CRATER OF SHASTA. 

Yet farther south comes the noted mass of Mount Shasta, 
rising to a height of 14,350 feet. The summit crater is ruinous, 
and the slopes are scarred with ravines ; but lava streams have 
flowed down its flank since the Glacial epoch, and a distinct sub- 
sidiary crater remains on a lower summit called Shastina. Far- 
ther south conies a volcanic district named Lassen's Peak from 
its principal summit, which rises to an elevation of 10,437 ^ ee ^- 
This is crossed from northwest to southeast by a belt of volcanic 
cones about fifty miles long by twenty-five miles wide ; one of 
them, Cinder Cone by name, being remarkably well preserved. 



872 NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES, 

The crater, as illustrated by Professor Russell, is a double 
one, and there were two distinct periods of eruption. In the ear- 
lier a quantity of ash was ejected and the cinder cone itself was 
formed. Then there was a pause long enough to allow ten feet 
of diatomaceous earth to accumulate on the bed of an adjacent 
lake, and after that came the quiet effusion of a large sheet of 

lava. 

Bast of the Sierra Nevada, on the area once occupied by a 
great sheet of water now spoken of as Lake Lahontan, are two 
ancient craters filled with alkaline water. The greater, which 
has an area of about 268 acres, only rises some eighty feet above 
the level of the surrounding country, so that it resembles, though 
on a larger scale, such a crater as the Pulvermaar in the Eifel. 
Geological evidence shows that these were active during the 
existence of Lake Lahontan, and that before they ceased it had 
already begun to dry up. 

POURING OUT LAVA STREAMS. 

In the Mono valley, also east of the Sierra Nevada, but farther 
south, and near to the lake of the same name, are a number of 
craters, some not much elevated above the surrounding country, 
but others rising to over 2000 feet, with lava streams and fuma- 
roles. The materials apparently consist of basalts and varieties 
of andesite ; but the Mono craters, as the line of higher cones is 
called, have ejected rhyolite and even obsidian. Professor Rus- 
sell remarks that those cones (some of which have lost their cra- 
ters), though forming an isolated group, are really a portion of a 
much more extended series of recent eruptions, which follow the 
general course of the great belt of branching faults by which the 
eastern face of the Sierra Nevada has been determined. 

The fact that, as a rule, the central cones are the less per- 
fectly preserved and are the older, shows that " the volcanic energy 
early in the history of the range evidently found an avenue of 
escape where [they] now stand, and when the conduits of these 
craters became clogged newer craters were formed, both to the 
north and south, along the same line or belt of fracture." 



NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 373 

To the west of the Wahsatch Mountains, in the inland basin 
of Utah, and on ithe area once occupied by the great sheet of 
water designated Lake Bonneville, are the Ice Spring Craters, a 
group of low craters, three of which are very well defined, though 
they are breached by streams of basaltic lava, which covers an 
area of over twelve square miles. Other craters occur in the dis- 
trict, some being older and some newer than Lake Bonneville, 
while others were active during its existence. 

In northern Arizona the San Francisco Mountains are vol- 
canic. The higher summits, which rise to a mean elevation of 
12,562 feet above the sea and about 5700 above the general level of 
the surrounding table-land, consists largely of trachytic lavas and 
have lost their craters ; but around them are numerous small 
craters of basaltic scoria, which often are well preserved and are 
associated with flows of the same rock. Some of these have been 
breached b}^ the lava, which has welled up in their interior and 
has escaped exactly as was described by Scrope in his book on 
The Volcanoes of Central France. In one, however, a lake is 

sheltered. 

FAR-FAMED YELLOWSTONE PARK. 

Just east of the crest of the Rocky Monutains, and in the north- 
west corner of the State of Wyoming, is the far-famed volcanic 
district of the Yellowstone Park and its neighborhood. Craters 
apparently are not common in this region, but the great flows of 
obsidian attracted much attention from geologists. This volcanic 
glass is associated with pumice, the rocks generally being trachytes, 
usually rich in silica. The vents are now extinct, unless a mud 
volcano be regarded as an exception ; but the hot springs and 
geysers to which the Park owes its world-wide fame show that a 
high temperature still prevails, probably at no great depth below 
the surface. 

The vast flows of basalt in the valleys draining to the Snake 
River in Idaho, to which reference has already been made, are on 
the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, but at no very 
great distance from the Yellowstone Park. Also east of 
the Rocky Mountains, in the State of Colorado, are several 



374 NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

very large cones and flows of basalt, while to the sonth of 
Pucho the bold summits of the Spanish Peaks, which rise 
respectively to heights of 12,720 and 13,620 feet above the sea, are 
ancient volcanoes ; bnt in all these the craters seem to have been 
destroyed. The materials are described as trachytes, some varie- 
iies approaching rhyolite. 

Farther south, however, in the State of New Mexico, are 
several extinct volcanoes, some of which retain their craters in 
good preservation. The materials, so far as described, are basalt. 
Mount Taylor (11,390 feet) also is the centre of a volcanic district. 
Its crater has perished, but these remain on some of the smaller 
neighboring cones. The rock apparently is basalt. 

The long peninsula of Lower California may be regarded as 
a prolongation of the chain of the Sierra Nevada. It also con- 
tains many extinct volcanoes, which, however, are at present but 
imperfectly known. Towards the north, according to Professor 
Russell, Mount Santa Catalina rises to a height of some io,cuo 
feet, and about the middle is a group of volcanic peaks known as 
the Tres Virgines, the highest of which is said to be 7250 feet. 
In this group an eruption occurred in 1857, an d since then 
steam has been ejected, sometimes in great quantity. 

THREE MOUNTAIN CHAINS. 

Those described above, as Professor Russell remarks, are 
only some of the most striking instances among the hundreds of 
lava-flows and craters within the United States ; but it will be 
noticed that the great majority are associated with the second one 
of the three mountain chains which form the western flank of the 
North American continent, the huge eastern mass of the Rocky 
Mountains being almost entirely, and the smaller western one of 
the Coast Range being wholly, free from volcanoes of recent date. 
The Sierra Madre in Mexico, which may be regarded as a pro- 
longation of the Rocky Mountains, appears to exhibit no signs of 
volcanic action. 

Thus a very considerable space separates the volcanoes of the 
part of Mexico which lies south of the tropic of Cancer, a region 



NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 375 

of great activity even in the present day, from those of which we 
have been speaking. The former also appear not to lie, as nsual, 
along a belt parallel with the western coast, but to be rather 
irregularly distributed over one, about 150 miles in breadth, which 
extends from sea to sea in a general direction from W. N. W. to 
B. N. E. for not much less than 600 miles- 
All the volanoes in Mexico which are still active (ten in 
number according to Reclus) lie south of latitude 2 2°. The most 
northerly of them is Ceboruco (about 7140 feet) on the Pacific 
coast, the centre of a group of craters, which was in eruption in 
1870, and has continued steaming ever since. Farther south, 
near the same coast, is Colima, which has frequently been active. 
In 1885, the dust from it was carried to the northeast for a dis- 
tance of 280 miles. 

A CELEBRATED VOLCANO. 

Proceeding eastwards, and slightly to the south, wc come to 
Jorullo, the eruption of which, ever since the days of Humboldt, has 
figured so largely in geological text books. This for many years was 
quoted as an example which very strongly supported the elevation 
theory of volcanic cones. It was asserted that here a tract of land 
from three to four miles in extent had almost suddenly swelled up 
like a bladder, while cones were built by discharges from its surface 
and at its sides. This happened on the night of September 29, 1 7 59 ; 
but, as has been frequently shown, the evidence for this remark- 
able phenomenon is quite untrustworthy. 

Proceeding east, the volcanoes became more lofty. Xinantecatl, 
some forty miles southwest of the city of Mexico, crowned by two 
crater-lakes, rises to about 15,000 feet; but east of that city are 
two giants, Ixtacihuatl to the north, and Popocatepetl to the south. 
The former, which, however, has lost its crater, is hardly less, per- 
haps more, than 16,500 feet ; but Popocatepetl is about 1200 feet 
more than this, and terminates in a crater from which a little 
steam issues. The lower part of the mountain consists of basalt, 
but the great cone is mostly composed of andesite. and its summit 
is described as trachyte. 



376 NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

Yet farther to the east come Cofre de Perote and Orizaba, 
which also lie on a north and sonth line ; the former, which is 
composed of hornblende andesite, has lost its crater and is only 
13,552 feet high ; but its companion is the highest volcanic sum- 
mit on the northern continent. The exact measurement is 
uncertain, but it cannot be much, if at all, less than 18,000 feet. 
On the summit are three craters in good preservation, and the 
flanks of the mountain are studded with small cones. Its last 
eruption is said to have occurred in the eighteenth century. 

Finally, on the eastern coast is Tuxtla, reported to be a little 
less than 5000 feet high, which is active from time to time. A 
terrible eruption occurred, after a pause of nearly one hundred 
and twenty years, in March, 1793. A series of violent explosions 
considerably reduced the height of the mountain and scattered 
ashes over a large area. The fine dust was borne by the wind 
about 150 miles to the northwest, and the same distance to the 
southwest. This fact suggests that, as happened to a less extent 
in an eruption of Cotopaxi, part of the dust was shot up into a 
region where an upper stratum of air was moving in a different 
direction from the lower one. 

EXPLOSION AFTER LONG REPOSE. 

Still in Mexico, but considerably to the south of the belt 
described above, and on the shore of the Pacific, is Chacahua, an 
extinct crater, while to the east of it is Pochutla, a volcano which, 
after a very long period of repose, exploded in 1870. 

From Guatemala to Costa Rica is a zone marked by great 
volcanic activity, which follows the line of the Pacific coast. Some 
of the cones on this rise to elevations considerably above 10,000 
feet, but the majority do not exceed 8000 In Guatemala, accord- 
ing to a list given by Professor Russell, there are two active 
volcanoes, four quiescent, and fifteen extinct. Among the last- 
named is Tajamulco, which lays claim, though probably without 
warrant, to an altitude of 18,317 feet. 

In San Salvador five are active, three quiescent, and the same 
number extinct. Honduras, which lies chiefly to the east of 



NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 377 

the mountain axis, is without an active volcano, but has two 
quiescent and three extinct. Nicaragua contains four active, eight 
quiescent, five extinct, while in Costa Rica one only can be called 
active, and its last eruption was as long ago as 1726, while two are 
quiescent and six extinct. Lastly, at the northern part of the 
Isthmus of Panama are three mountains of volcanic origin, two 
of them over 11,000 feet high, but it is doubtful whether any one 
retains a remnant of a crater. 

Three of the volcanoes in the above-named list are especially 
interesting, because, like Monte Nuovo, the history of their actual 
birth is recorded. Two of these are in San Salvador, the third in 
Nicaragua. Of the former, Izalco, now rising about 3000 feet 
above the surrounding country and 5000 feet above the sea-level, 
began to be formed in the year 1770. It covers what previously 
was a fine cattle farm. "The occupants on this estate were 
alarmed by subterranean noises and shocks of earthquakes about 
the end of 1769, which continued to increase in loudness and 
strength until the twenty-third of the February following, when the 
earth opened about half a mile from the dwellings on the estate, 
sending out lava, accompanied by fire and smoke." 

HOW THE CONE WAS BUILT UP. 

The eruption thus begun went on continuously, lava some- 
times being ejected, but at others only ashes and volcanic bombs, 
and thus the cone has been built up to its present height. No 
lava has been discharged for many years, but ashes and dust, 
mingled with steam, are constantly ejected. There are three 
craters, the central one being the largest and most active. Acid 
vapors also are emitted from fumaroles. Lake Ilopango, which 
possibly occupies an ancient crater, also in San Salvador, wit- 
nessed the beginning of a volcano as lately as the year 1880. 

A violent earthquake in 1879 was accompanied by a rising of 
steam from the lake, and was followed by a steady fall in the level 
of its waters, amounting to about thirty-five feet. Then, during 
the night of January 20, 1880, the surface of the lake was again 
agitated, and the next morning a pile of rocks was observed in 



378 NORTH AMERICAN VOCLANOES. 

the centre, from which rose a column of vapor. The eruption 
lasted for more than a month, sulphurous vapors were emitted 
copiously, the fish in the lake were killed, and a cone was ulti- 
mately formed about 160 feet above the water, but rising from a 
depth of some 600 feet. 

A new volcano broke out on April 11, 1850, in Nicaragua, in 
a district called the Plain of Leon. This is studded with cones, 
of which one at least is active. The commencement of the erup- 
tion was not carefully observed, but the outbreak occurred near 
the base of an extinct crater called Las Pilas. It began with a 
copious discharge of lava. 

This ceased on the fourteenth of the month, and was suc- 
ceeded by a different phase of action, namely, a series of paroxysms 
lasting about three minutes, with intervals of about the same 
length. By these, steam, ashes, and red-hot bombs were shot up 
to a height of several hundred feet, accompanied, it is said, by 
outbursts of name. Thus in the course of a week a cone was 
built up to a height of from a hundred and fifty to two hundred 
feet, after which the action became much more intermittent. 

THREE SOUTH AMERICAN PEAKS. 

Among the older summits of Central America it may suffice 
to mention three, all of which are lofty mountains. Volcan de 
Agua, 12,213 feet, at the time of the Spanish invasion was a 
crater-lake. In the year 1541, after an earthquake, the wall of 
the crater gave way on the northeastern side and the water 
escaped, doing great damage as it rushed down the slope of the 
mountain. Fuego, to the east, with its group of three volcanic 
cones, the highest of which attains to 13,943 feet, was often active 
in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and probably for some 
long time previously ; but since then eruptions have been less 
frequent, though one occurred as late as i860, and steam still 
issues from the crater. 

But the most noted of all is Coseguina, for it was the scene 
of a frightful eruption in the year 1835. So far as is known, this, 
like the famous awakening of Vesuvius in the year 79, put an 



NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 379 

end to a long period of complete repose. It began on the morn- 
ing of January 20th, when several loud detonations were heard, 
followed by the ejection of a cloud of inky smoke, through which 
" darted tongues of flame resembling lightning." The cloud 
spread gradually outward, obscuring the sun, while fine dust fell 
from it like rain. This went on for two days, the sand falling 
more and more thickly and the explosions becoming louder and 
louder. 

On the third day they reached a maximum and the darkness 
became intense. The quantity of material that fell was so great 
that for leagues around people actually deserted their houses, 
fearing lest their roofs might be crushed in. At Leon, more than 
a hundred miles away, the dust lay several inches deep, and it was 
carried to Jamaica, Vera Cruz and Santa Fe de Bogota, over an 
area of 1500 miles in diameter. The sea also was covered with 
floating masses of pumice for a distance of some fifty leagues. 

FOUR MILES IN DIAMETER. 

During the eruption the height of the cone was considerably 
reduced, but to what extent is not certainly known ; probably by 
at least one half, for it is now a crater four miles in diameter and 
only 3600 feet above the sea. Many of the phenomena during 
this outbreak closely agree with those associated with the first 
eruption of Vesuvius and that of Krakatoa already described. 

The Isthmus of Panama, though its hills in places are com- 
paratively low and without volcanic cones, links together the great 
mountain chains of North and South America. But that of the 
Andes, which extends along the whole western flank of the latter, 
is rather less complicated in structure than the system of the 
former country. It is a single chain, consisting partly of sedi- 
mentary, partly of igneous rocks, old and new, both crystalline 
and volcanic. The sedimentaries and the older igneous form the 
lower part of the great mountain wall, and the volcanoes, gene- 
rally speaking, rise more nearly from its crest than from its 
flanks. 

They are not, however, continuous along the whole chain, but 



380 NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

form three principal groups — those of Colombia and Ecuador in 
the north, those of Bolivia in the centre, and those of Chili in the 
south. About sixty craters are still active ; those which are 
extinct and more or less ruined may be counted by hundreds. 
The first group, in the more northern part, consists of three prin- 
cipal ranges, of which the eastern one branches out at last into 
the great mountains which runs roughly parallel with the border 
of the Caribbean Sea. 

The western range is less elevated than the others, at any 
rate in its more northern part ; the central, on which the volcanoes 
are chiefly situated, supports many lofty peaks. Of these Mesa 
de Herveo, 18,340 feet, retains its ancient crater ; Ruiz, 17,189 
feet ; Tolima, 18,392 feet ; and Huila, 18,701, all show some signs 
of life. An eruption occurred at Purace, 15,425 feet, in 1849, 
when the torrents of mud caused by the rapid melting of the snow 
caused much devastation. Extinct volcanoes are also frequent. 
In the eastern chain no vents are mentioned as active. 

FIERY SUMMITS OF ECUADOR. 

Passing into Ecuador, the volcanic summits, according to Mr. 
Whymper, are grouped along two roughly parallel lines. On the 
western, Cotocachi, Pichincha, Corazon, Illiniza, Carihuairazo, 
and Chimborazo are the most important ; on the eastern, Cayambe, 
Antisana, Sincholagua, Cotopaxi, Altar, and Sangai. Of these 
the majority have lost their craters, including Chimborazo. Altar 
retains one, so does Pichincha, which apparently is hardly extinct, 
while Sangai and Cotopaxi, which has been already described, are 
still active. 

It may suffice to say that the specimens brought back by Mr. 
Whymper were almost without exception varieties of andesite, 
several of them containing hypersthene. Antisana, however, 
also furnished a pitchstone. The volcanic cones, according to 
Reiss and Wolf, continue for some distance to the south of those 
which have been mentioned. 

In the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes we find the second 
linear group of craters. The same arrangement in parallel lines 



NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 381 

to continue, and the highest summit, Hauscan, is said to overtop 

Chimborazo by rather more than 1300 feet. Volcanic cones are 

most frequent in the southern part of the western range, where 

they set in again some 1200 miles from those of Ecuador. Few, 

however, are mentioned as active in historic times ; among them 

Ubinas, Ornate, Candarave (18,964 feet), are enumerated by 

Reclus. But among the extinct volcanoes some also rise to great 

heights, such as Sara-Sara, Achatayhua, Coro Puna, Ampato, 

Misti, and Chachani, all of which exceed 13,000 feet, the last 

reaching 19,767 feet and Misti 18,504 feet. 

This volcanic group continues into Bolivia, and there are 

some active craters, especially near Lake Titicaca. Presumably 

the higher peaks of this country, five of which are enumerated as 

over 21,000 feet, and the highest, Illimani, reaching 22,350 feet, 

are volcanic, and the last is said to smoke constantly. Altogether, 

sixteen craters are asserted to be active in this second group of 

Andres volcanoes, of which, at present, our knowledge is rather 

imperfect. 

LONG CEASED TO BE ACTIVE, 

Passing on to the third group, the volcanoes of Chili, we find 
these numerous, though, for the most part, they have long ceased 
to be active. In the northern part, however, two at least, Llullai- 
laco (17,061 feet) and Dona Inez are still at work. In the middle 
are the highest summits — Aconagua, 22,867 feet ; Cerro del 
Mercedario, 22,302 feet ; Tupungato, 10,269 feet ; San Jose, 
20,000 feet ; and Maipo, 17,657 feet. Of these, Aconagua has 
entirely lost its crater, and Tupungato retains due distinctive trace 
of it, but one or two vents are still active; one about 13,000 feet 
high, lying some twenty miles to the southwest of Tupungato. 
In this part also, according to Mr. FitzGerald, the Andes consist 
of two ranges, of which the western is the watershed ; the other 
supports the highest peaks. There is also a third and eastern 
range, but this is separated from the main chain by a valley only 
about 4000 feet above sea level. 

The rocks brought back by Messrs. FitzGerald and Vines are 
mostly andesites, the actual summits of Aconagua and Tupun- 



382 NORTH AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

gato being the hornblende-bearing variety of that rock, though a 
rhyolite or dacite was obtained on the flank of the latter mountain. 
The volcanic line does not completely come to an end with Chili, 
for Corcovado (7510 feet) in the Patagonian Andes is a volcano, 
but though there may be some extinct cones yet farther south, 
the active vents are not continued to Cape Horn. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Ridge of Panama and the Andes. — The Great Canyon. — 
California and Utah. — Yellowstone Park. — Mexico 
and South America. 

IN no point is there a more remarkable contrast between the phy- 
sical structure of Eastern and Western America than in the 
absence of volcanic phenomena in the former and their prodigious 
development in the latter. The great valley of the Mississippi 
and its tributaries forms the dividing territory between the vol- 
canic and non-volcanic areas ; so that on crossing the high ridges 
in which the western tributaries of America's greatest river have 
their sources, and to which the name of the " Rocky Mountains" 
more properly belongs, we find ourselves in a region which, 
throughout the later Tertiary times down almost to the present 
day, has been the scene of volcanic operations on the grandest 
scale ; where lava-floods have been poured over the country through 
thousands ot square miles, and where volcanic cones, vying in 
magnitude with those of Etna, Vesuvius, or Hecla, have estab- 
lished themselves. 

This region, generally known as "The Great Basin," is 
bounded on the west by the " Pacific Range" of mountains, and 
includes portions of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, 
Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana and Wash- 
ington. To the south it passes into the mountainous region of 
Mexico, also highly volcanic ; and thence into the ridge of Pan- 
ama and the Andes. It cannot be questioned but that the volcanic 
nature of the Great Basin is due to the same causes which have 
originated the volcanic outbursts of the Andes ; but, from what- 
ever cause, the volcanic forces have here entered upon their sec- 
ondary or moribund stage. 

In the Yellowstone Valley, geysers, hot springs and fumaroles 
give evidence of this condition. In other districts the lava streams 
are so fresh and unweathered as to suggest that they had been 

383 



384 HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

erupted only a few hundred years ago ; but no active vent or crater 
is to be found over the whole of this wide region. A few special 
districts only can here be selected by way of illustration of its 
special features in connection with its volcanic history. 

This tract, which is drained by the Colorado river and its 
tributaries, is bounded on the north by the Wahsatch range, and 
extends eastward to the base of the Sierra Nevada. Round its 
margin extensive volcanic tracts are to be found, with numerous 
peaks and truncated cones — the ancient craters of eruption — of 
which Mount San Francisco is the culminating eminence. 

South of the Wahsatch, and occupying the high plateaux of 
Utah, enormous masses of volcanic products have been spread 
over an area of 9000 square miles, attaining a thickness of 
between 3000 and 4000 feet. The earlier of these great lava- 
floods appear to have been trachytic, but the later basaltic ; and 
in the opinion of Captain Dutton, who has described them, they 
range in point of time from the Middle Tertiary (Miocene) down 
to comparatively recent times. 

HIGH LEVELS IN UTAH. 

To the south of the high plateaux of Utah are many minor 
volcanic mountains, now extinct ; and as we descend towards the 
Grand Canon of Colorado we find numerous cinder cones scat- 
tered about at intervals near the cliffs. Extensive lava fields, sur- 
mounted by cinder cones, occupy the plateau on the western side 
of the Grand Canon ; and, according to Dutton, the great sheets 
of basaltic lava, of very recent age, which occupy many hundred 
square miles of desert, have had their sources in these cones of 
eruption. 

Crossing to the east of the Grand Canon, we find other lava 
floods poured over the country at intervals, surmounted by San 
Francisco — a volcanic mountain of the first magnitude — which 
reaches an elevation, according to Wheeler, of 12,562 feet above 
the ocean. It has long been extinct, and its summit and flanks 
are covered with snow fields and glaciers. Other parts of Arizona 
are overspread by sheets of basaltic lava, through which old 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 385 

"necks " of eruption, formed of more solid lava than the sheets, 
rise occasionally above the surface, and are prominent features in 
the landscape. 

Further to the eastward in New Mexico, and near the margin 
of the volcanic region, is another volcanic mountain little less 
lofty than San Francisco, called Mount Taylor, which, according 
to Dutton, rises to an elevation of 11,390 feet above the ocean, 
and 8200 feet above the general level of the surrounding plateau 
of lava. This mountain forms the culminating point of a wide 
volcanic tract, over which are distributed numberless vents of 
eruption. Scores of such vents — generally cinder cones- — are 
visible in every part of the plateau, and always in a more or less 
dilapidated condition. Mount Taylor is a volcano, with a central 
pipe terminating in a large crater, the wall of which was broken 
down on the east side in the later stage of its history. 

VOLCANIC RANGES. 

Proceeding westward into California, we are again confronted 
with volcanic phenomena on a stupendous scale. The coast range 
of mountains, which branches off from the Sierra Nevada at 
Mount Pinos, on the south, is terminated near the northern ex- 
tremity of the State by a very lofty mountain of volcanic origin, 
called Mount Shasta, which attains an elevation of 14,511 feet. 
This mountain was first ascended by Clarence King in 1870, and 
although forming, as it were, a portion of the Pacific Coast Range, 
it really rises from the plain in solitary grandeur, its summit 
covered by snow, and originating several fine glaciers. 

The summit of Mount Shasta is a nearly perfect cone, but 
from its northwest side there juts out a large crater-cone just be- 
low the snow line, between which and the main mass of the moun- 
tain their exists a deep depression filled with glacier ice. This 
secondary crater-cone has been named Mount Shastina, and round 
its inner side the stream of glacier ice winds itself, sometimes 
surmounting the rim of the crater, and shooting down masses of 
ice into the great cauldron. 

The length of this glacier is about three mile^, and its breadth 
25-MAR 



38H HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

about 4000 feet. Another very lofty volcanic mountain is Mount 
Rainier, in the Washington territory, consisting of three peaks 
of which the eastern possesses a crater very perfect throughout 
its entire circuinfeience. This mountain appears to be formed 
mainly of trachytic matter. Proceeding further north into British 
territory, several volcanic mountains near the Pacific coast are said 
to exhibit evidence of activity. 

Of these may be mentioned Mount Edgecombe, Mount Fair- 
weather, which rises to a height of 14,932 feet ; and Mount St. 
Elias, just within the divisional line between British and Russian 
territory, and reaching an altitude of 16,860 feet. This, the loftiest 
of all of the volcanoes of the North American continent, except 
those of Mexico, may be considered as the connecting link in the 
volcanic chain between the continent and the Aleutian Islands. 

LAKES AND THEIR ORIGIN. 

Returning to Utah we are brought into contact with phe- 
nomena of special interest, owing to the inter-relations of vol- 
canic and lacrustine conditions which once prevailed over large 
tracts of that territory. The present Great Salt Lake, and the 
smaller neighboring lakes, those called Utah and Sevier, are but 
remnants of an originally far greater expanse of inland water, the 
boundaries of which have been traced out by Mr. C. K. Gilbert, 
and described under the name of Lake Bonneville. 

The waters of this lake appear to have reached their highest 
level at the maximum cold of the Post Pliocene period, when the 
glaciers descended to its margin, and large streams of glacier 
water were poured into it. Eruptions of basaltic lava from suc- 
cessive craters appear to have gone on before, during, and after the 
lacustrine epoch; and the drying up of the waters over the greater 
extent of their original area, now converted into the Sevier Desert, 
and their concentration into their present comparatively narrow 
basins, appears to have proceeded pari passu with the gradual 
extinction of the volcanic outbursts. 

Two successive epochs of eruption of basalt appears to have 
been clearly established — an earlier one of the "ProvoAge," 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 387 

when the lava was extruded from the Tabernacle craters, and a 
later epoch, when the eruptions took place from the Ice Spring- 
craters. The oldest volcanic rock appears to be rhyolite, which 
peers up in two sniall hills almost smothered beneath the lake 
deposits. Its eruption was long anterior to the lake period. 

On the other hand, the cessation of the eruptions of the later 
basaltic sheets is evidently an event of such recent date that Mr. 
Gilbert is led to look forward to their resumption at some future, 
but not distant, epoch. As he truly observes, we are not to infer 
that, because the outward manifestations of volcanic action have 
ceased, the internal causes of those manifestations have passed 
away. These are still in operation, and must make themselves 
felt when the internal forces have recovered their exhausted 
energies ; but perhaps not to the same extent as before. 

COUNTRY BORDERING SNAKE RIVER. 

The tract of country bordering the Snake River in Idaho and 
Washington is remarkable for the vast sheets of plateau-basalt 
with which it is overspread, extending sometimes in one great 
flood farther than the eye can reach, and what is still more 
remarkable, they are often unaccompanied by any visible craters 
or vents of eruption. In Oregon the plateau-basalt is at least 2000 
feet in thickness, and where traversed by the Columbia River it 
reaches a thickness of about 3000 feet. 

The Snake and Columbia rivers are lined by walls of volcanic 
rock, basaltic above, trachytic below, for a distance of, in the 
former, one hundred, in the latter, two hundred, miles. Captain 
Dutton, in describing the High Plateau of Utah, observes that the 
lavas appear to have welled up in mighty floods without any of 
that explosive violence generally characteristic of volcanic action. 
This extravasated matter has spread over wide fields, deluging the 
surrounding country like a tide in a bay, and overflowing all in- 
equalities. Here also we have evidence of older volcanic cones 
buried beneath seas of lava subsequently extruded. 

The absence or rarity, of volcanic craters or cones of eruption 
in the neighborhood of these great sheets has led American geolo- 



888 HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

gists to the conclusion that the lavas were in many cases extruded 
from fissures in the earth's crust rather than from ordinary craters. 
This view is also urged by Sir A. Geikie, who visited the Utah 
region of the Snake River in 1880, and has vividly described 
the impression produced by the sight of these vast fields of 
basaltic lava. 

He says, " We found that the older trachytic lavas of the hills 
had been deeply trenched by the lateral valleys and that all these 
valleys had a floor of black basalt that had been poured out as the last 
of the molten material from the now extinct volcanoes. There were 
no visible cones or vents from which these floods of basalt could have 
proceeded. We rode for hours by the margin of a vast plain of basalt 
stretching southward and westward as far as the eye could reach. 
I realized the truth of an assertion made first by Richthofen, that 
our modern volcanoes, such as Vesuvius and iEtna, present us with 
by no means the grandest type of volcanic action, but rather belong 
to a time of failing activity. There have been periods of tremendous 
volcanic energy, when instead of escaping from a local vent, like 
a Vesuvian cone, the lava has found its way to the surface by 
innumerable fissures opened for it in the solid crust of the globe 
over thousands of square miles." 

HISTORY OF THE ERUPTIONS. 

The general succession of volcanic events throughout the 
region of Western America appears to have been somewhat as 
follows : 

The earliest volcanic eruptions occurred in the later 
Bocene epoch and were continued into the succeeding Miocene 
stage. These consisted of rocks moderately rich in silica, and are 
grouped under the heads of propylite and andesite. To these 
succeeded during the Pliocene epoch still more highly silicated 
rocks of trachytic type, consisting of sanidine and oligoclase 
trachytes. 

Then came eruptions of rhyolite during the later Pliocene 
and Pleistocene epoch ; and lastly, after a period of cessation, 
during which the rocks just described were greatly eroded, came 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 389 

the great eruptions of basaltic lava, deluging the plains, winding 
round the cones or plateaux of the older lavas, descending into the 
river valleys and flooding the lake beds, issuing from both vents 
and fissures, and continuing intermittently down almost into the 
present day — certainly into the period of man's appearance on 
the scene. 

Thus the volcanic history of Western America corresponds 
' remarkably to that of the European regions with which we have 
previously dealt, both as regards the succession of the various 
lavas and the epochs of their eruption. 

The geysers and hot springs of the Yellowstone Park, like 
those in Iceland and New Zealand, are special manifestations of 
volcanic action, generally in its secondary or moribund stage. 
The geysers of the Yellowstone occur on a grand scale ; the 
eruptions are frequent, and the water is projected into the air to a 
height of over 200 feet. Most of these are intermittent, like the 
remarkable one known as Old Faithful, the Castle Geyser, and 
the Giantess Geyser described by Dr. Hay den, which ejects the 
water to a height of 250 feet. 

TINTS OF RED AND YELLOW. 

The geyser waters hold large quantities of silica and sulphur 
in solution, owing to their high temperature under great pressure, 
and these minerals are precipitated upon the cooling of the waters 
in the air, and form circular basins, often gorgeously tinted with 
red and yellow colors. 

In the great Pacific Ocean, the Islands may be referred to two 
classes, distinguished by their elevation into high and low. The 
latter class appear to be entirely of modern formation, the product of 
that accumulation of coral reefs which Flinders and others have 
described in so interesting a manner. The high islands, on the 
contrary, are chiefly volcanic, though in the Friendly and Mar- 
quesa Islands primitive rocks occur, and in the Waohoo porphyry 
and amygdaloid. 

The Mariana or Laclrone Islands constitute a sort of moun- 
tain chain, consisting of a line of active volcanoes, especially 



390 HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

towards their north, which is parallel to that of the Philippine 
group, whereas the islands that lie detached in the middle of the 
basin, of which these two groups are the boundaries, seem for the 
most part to be extinguished. 

Mr. Ellis, a missionary, has given in a narrative of a Tour 
Through the Hawaii Islands a most detailed account of the active 
volcano of Hawaii. 

The plain over which their way to the mountain lay was a 
vast waste of ancient lava, which he thus describes : — " The tract 
of lava resembled in appearance an inland sea, bounded by distant 
mountains. Once it had certainly been in a fluid state, but 
appeared as if it had become suddenly petrified, or turned into a 
glassy stone, while its agitated billows were rolling to and fro. 
Not only were the large swells and hollows distinctly marked, but 
in many places the surface of these billows was covered by a 
smaller ripple, like that observed on the surface of the sea at the 
springing up of a breeze, or the passing currents of air, which pro- 
duce what the sailors call a cats-paw. 

EDGE OF A STEEP PRECIPICE. 

"About 2 P. M. the crater of Kilauea suddenly burst upon our 
view. We expected to have seen a mountain with a broad base 
and rough, indented sides, composed of loose slags, or hardened 
streams of lava, and whose summit would have presented a 
rugged wall of scoria, forming the rim of a mighty cauldron. 
But instead of this, we found ourselves on the edge of a steep 
precipice, with a vast plain before us fifteen or sixteen miles in 
circumference, and sunk from two hundred to four hundred feet 
below its original level. The surface of this plain was uneven, 
and strewed over with huge stones and volcanic rock, and in the 
center of it was the great crater, at the distance of a mile and a 
half from the place where we were standing. We walked on to 
the north end of the ridge, where, the precipice being less steep, a 
descent to the plain below seemed practicable. With all our care, 
we did not reach the bottom without several falls and slight bruises. 

"After walking some distance over the sunken plain, which 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 391 

in several places sounded hollow under our feet, we at length came 
to the edge of the great crater, where a spectacle sublime, and 
even appalling, presented itself before us. Immediately before us 
yawned an immense gulf, in the form of a crescent, about two 
miles in length, from N. B. to S. W., nearly a mile in width, and 
apparently eight hundred feet deep. The Dottom was covered with 
lava, and the S. W. and northern parts of it were one vast flood of 
burning matter, in a state of terrific ebullition, rolling to and fro 
its 'fiery surge' and flaming billows. 

A BURNING LAKE. 

"Fifty-one conical islands of varied form and size, containing 
so many craters, rose either round the edge, or from the surface 
of the burning lake; twenty-two constantly emitted columns of 
grey smoke, or pyramids of brilliant flame ; and several of these 
at the same time vomited from their ignited mouths streams of 
lava, which rolled in blazing torrents down their black indented 
sides, into the boiling mass below. The existence of these conical 
craters led us to conclude that the boiling cauldron of lava before 
us did not form the focus of the volcano; that this mass of melted 
lava was comparatively shallow ; and that the basin in which it 
was contained was separated by a stratum of solid matter from 
the great volcanic abyss, which constantly poured out its melted 
contents through these numerous craters into this upper reservoir. 

"The sides of the gulch before us, although composed of 
different strata of ancient lava, were perpendicular for about four 
hundred feet, and rose from a wide horizontal ledge of solid black 
lava of irregular breadth, but extending completely round, beneath 
this ledge, the sides sloped gradually towards the burning lake, 
which was, as nearly as we could judge, three hundred or four 
hundred feet lower. It was evident that the large crater had been 
recently filled with liquid lava up to this black ledge, and had, by 
some subterraneous canal, emptied itself into the sea or under the 
low land on the shore. 

" The grey, and in some places apparently calcined sides of 
the great crater before us — the fissures which intersected the sur- 



892 HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

face of the plain on which we were standing — -the long banks of 
sulphur on the opposite side of the abyss — -the vigorous action of 
the numerous small craters on its borders — the dense columns of 
vapor and smoke that rose at the N. and S. end of the plain — 
together with the ridge of steep rocks by which it was surrounded, 
rising probably in some places three or four hundred feet in a per- 
pendicular height, presented an immense volcanic panorama, the 
effect of which was greatly augmented by the constant roaring of 
the vast furnaces below. 

" The natives still persist in believing, that the conical craters 
of the mountains are the houses of their gods, where they frequently 
amuse themselves by playing at Konane (a game like draughts); 
that the roaring of the furnaces and the crackling of the flames 
are the music of their dance, and that the red flaming surge is the 
surf in which they play, sportively swimming on the rolling wave. 
Some of their legends may remind us of those that prevailed 
among the Greeks. 

CURIOUS OLD LEGEND. 

" Thus one of their kings, who had offended Pele, the princi- 
pal goddess of the volcano, is pursued by her to the shore, where 
leaping into a canoe he paddles out to sea. Pele, perceiving his 
escape, hurls after him huge stones and fragments of rock, which 
fall thickly around, but do not strike the canoe. A number of 
rocks in the sea are shown by the natives, which like the Cyclo- 
pean Islands at the foot of Mount Etna, are said to have been 
those thrown by Pele to sink the boat. 

" This legend is very characteristic of the manners and feel- 
ings of savage life. The king is represented as taking little pains 
to secure the escape of anyone but himself, for his mother, wife 
and children are all abandoned without compunction ; his conduct 
to the friend who accompanies him is the only trait which redeems 
his character from the charge of utter selfishness, nor among the 
natives who tell the story, is their praise of the adroitness with 
which he effected his escape, at all less commended on account of 
this desertion of his nearest relations." 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 393 

The globe is girdled by a chain of volcanic mountains in a 
state of greater or less activity, which may, perhaps, be considered 
a girdle of safety for the whole world, through which the masses 
of molten matter in a state of high pressure beneath the crust 
find a way of escape ; and thus the structure of the globe is pre- 
served from even greater convulsions than those which from time 
to time take place at various points on its surface. 

This girdle is partly terrestrial, partly submarine ; and com- 
mencing at Mount Erebus, near the Antarctic Pole, ranging 
through South Shetland Isle, Cape Horn, the Andes of South 
America, the Isthmus of Panama, then through Central America 
and Mexico, and the Rocky Mountains to Kamtschatka, the Aleu- 
tian Islands, the Kuriles, the Japanese, the Philippines, New 
Guinea, and New Zealand, reaches the Antartic Circle by the 
Balleny Islands. This girdle sends off branches at several points. 

DORMANT VOLCANIC EVENTS. 

The linear arrangement of active or dormant volcanic vents 
has been pointed out by Humboldt, Von Buch, Daubeny and other 
writers. The great range of burning mountains of the Andes of 
Chili, Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico, that of the Aleutian Islands of 
Kamtschatka and the Kurile Islands, extending southwards into 
the Philippines, and the branching range of the Sunda Islands 
are well known examples. That of the West Indian Islands, rang- 
ing from Grenada through St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Martinique, 
Dominica, Gaudeloupe, Montserrat, Nevis, and St. Eustace, is also 
a remarkable example of the linear arragement of volcanic moun- 
tains. On tracing these ranges on a map of the world it will be 
observed that they are either strings of islands, or lie in proximity 
to the ocean ; and hence the view was naturally entertained by 
some writers that oceanic water, or at any rate that of a large lake 
or sea, was a necessary agent in the production of volcanic 
eruptions. 

This view seems to receive further corroboration from the 
fact that the interior portions of the continents and large islands 
such as Australia are destitute of volcanoes in action, with the 



394 HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

remarkable exceptions of Mounts Kenia and Kilimanjaro in Cen- 
tral Africa, and a few others. It is also very significant in this 
connection that many of the volcanoes now extinct, or at least 
dormant, both in Bnrope and Asia, appear to have been in prox- 
imity to sheets of water during the period of activity. 

Thus the old volcanoes of the Hauran, east of the Jordan, 
appear to have been active at the period when the present Jordan 
valley was filled with water to such an extent as to constitute a 
lake two hundred miles in length, but which has now shrunk back 
to within the present limits of the Dead Sea. Again, at the 
period when the extinct volcanoes of Central France were in 
active operation, an extensive lake overspread the tract lying to 
the east of the granitic plateau on which the craters and domes 
are planted, now constituting the rich and fertile plain of Cler- 
mont. 

WATER AND EXPLOSIONS. 

Such instances are too significant to allow us to doubt that 
water in some form is very generally connected with volcanic 
operations ; but it does not follow that it was necessary 
to the original formation of volcanic vents, whether linear or 
sporadic. If this were so, the extinct volcanoes of the British 
Isles would still be active, as they are close to the sea-margin, 
and no volcano would now be active which is not near to some 
large sheet of water. 

But Jorullo, one of the great active volcanoes of Mexico, lies 
no less than 120 miles from the ocean, and Cotopaxi, in Ecuador, 
is nearly equally distant. Kilimanjaro ,18,881 feet high, and Kenia, 
in the equatorial regions of Central Africa, are about 150 miles 
from the Victoria Nyanza, and a still greater distance from the 
ocean ; and Mount Demavend, in Persia, which rises to an eleva- 
tion of 18,464 feet near the southern shore of the Caspian Sea, a 
volcanic mountain of the first magnitude, is now extinct or 
dormant. j 

Such facts as these all tend to show that although water may 
be an accessory of volcanic eruptions, it is not in all cases 
essential ; and we are obliged, therefore, to have recourse to some 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 395 

other theory of volcanic action differing from that which would 
attribute it to the access of water to highly heated or molten 
matter within the crust of the earth. 

The view of Leopold von Buch, who considered that the great 
lines of volcanic mountains above referred to rise along the 
borders of rents, or fissures, in the earth's crust, is one which is 
inherently probable, and is in keeping with observation. That 
the crust of the globe is to a remarkable extent fissured and torn 
in all directions is a phenomenon familiar to all field geologists. 
Such rents and fissures are often accompanied by displacement of 
the strata, owing to which the crust has been vertically elevated 
on one side or lowered on the other, and such displacements (or 
"faults") sometimes amount to thousands of feet. 

A SYSTEM OF FISSURES. 

It is only occasionally, however, that such fractures are 
accompanied by the extrusion of molten matter ; and in the north 
of England and Scotland dykes of igneous rock, such as basalt, 
which run across the country for many miles in nearly straight 
lines, often cut across the faults, and are only rarely coincident 
with them. Nevertheless, it can scarcely be a question that the 
grand chain of volcanic mountains which stretches almost contin- 
uously along the Andes of South America, and northwards through 
Mexico, has been piled up along the line of a system of fissures in 
the fundamental rocks parallel to the coast, though not actually 
coincident therewith. 

The structure and arrangemnt of the Cordilleras of Quito, 
for example, are eminently suggestive of arrangement along lines 
of fissure. x\s shown by Alexander von Humboldt, the volcanic 
mountains are disposed in two parallel chains, which run side by 
side for a distance of over 500 miles northwards into the State of 
Columbia, and enclose between them the high plains of Quito 
and Lacunga. Along the eastern chain are the great cones of 
El Altar, rising to an elevation of 16,383 feet above the ocean, 
and having an enormous crater apparently dormant or extinct, 
and covered with snow ; then Cotopaxi, its sides covered with 



396 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 



snow, and sending forth from its crater several columns of smoke ; 
then Guamani and Cayambe (19,000 feet), huge truncated cones 
apparently extinct ; these constitute the eastern chain of volcanic 

heights. 

The western chain contains even loftier mountains. Here 
we find the gigantic Chimborazo, an extinct volcano whose summit 
is white with snow ; Carihuairazo and Illiniza, a lofty pointed 
peak like the Matterhorn ; Corazon, a snow-clad dome, reaching a 
height of 15,871 feet ; Atacazo and Pichincha, the latter an 
extinct volcano reaching an elevation of 15,920 feet ; such is the 
western chain, remarkable for its straightness, the volcanic cones 
being planted in one grand procession from south to north. This 
rectilinear arrangement of the western chain, only a little less 
conspicuous in the eastern, is very suggestive of a line of fracture 
in the crust beneath. 

And when we contemplate the prodigious quantity of matter 
included within the limits of these colossal domes and their envi- 
ronments, all of which has been extruded from the internal reser- 
voirs, we gain some idea of the manner in which the contracting 
crust disposes of the matter it can no longer contain. 

QUITO AND PERU. 

Between the volcanoes of Quito and those of Peru there is an 
intervening space of fourteen degrees of latitude. This is occupied 
by the Andes, regarding the structure of which we have not 
much information except that at this part of its course it is not 
volcanic. But from Arequipa in Peru, an active volcano, we find a 
new series of volcanic mountains continued southwards through 
Tacora (19,740 feet), then further south the more or less active 
vents of Sajama (22,915 feet), Coquina,Tutupaca,Calama, Atacama, 
Toconado, and others, forming an almost continuous range with 
that part of the desert of Atacama pertaining to Chili. 

Through this country we find the volcanic range appearing 
at intervals ; and still more to the southwards it is doubtless con- 
nected with the volcanoes of Patagonia, north of the Magellan 
Straits, and of Terra del Fuego. Mr. David Forbes consider;; 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 397 

that this great range of volcanic mountains, lying nearly north 
and south, corresponds to a line of fracture lying somewhat to the 
east of the range. 

A similar statement in all probability applies to the systems 
of volcanic mountains of the Aleutian Isles, Kamtschatka, the 
Kuriles, the Philippines, and Sunda Isles. Nor can it be reason- 
ably doubted that the Western American coast line has to a great 
extent been determined, or marked out, by such lines of displace- 
ment ; for, as Darwin has shown, the whole western coast of South 
America, for a distance of between 2000 and 3000 miles south of 
the Equator, has undergone an upward movement in very recent 
times — that is, within the period of living marine shells — during 
which period the volcanoes have been in activity. 

GROUPS OF VOLCANOES. 

This chain may also be cited in evidence of volcanic action 
along fissure lines. It connects the volcanoes of Kamtschatka 
with those of Japan, and the linear arrangement is apparent. In 
the former peninsula Erman counted no fewer than thirteen active 
volcanic mountains rising to heights of 12,000 to 15,000 feet above 
the sea. In the chain of the Kuriles Professor John Milne 
counted fifty-two well-defined volcanoes, of which nine, perhaps 
more, are certainly active. 

They are not so high as those of Kamtschatka ; but, on the 
other hand, they rise from very deep oceanic waters, and have 
been probably built up from the sea bottom by successive erup- 
tions of tuff, lava, and ash. According to the view of Professor 
Milne, the volcanoes of the Kurile chain are fast becoming 
extinct. 

Besides the volcanic vents arranged in lines, of which we have 
treated above, there are a large number, both active and extinct, 
which appear to be disposed in groups, or sporadically distributed, 
over various portions of the earth's surface. I say appear to be, 
because this sporadic distribution may really be resolvable (at 
least in some cases) into linear distribution for short distances, 
^hus the Neapolitan Group, which might at first sight seem to 



398 HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

be arranged around Vesuvius as a centre, really resolves itself 
into a line of active and extinct vents of eruption, ranging across 
Italy from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic, through Ischia, 
Procida, Monte Nuovo and the Phlegraean Fields, Vesuvius and 
Mount Vulture. 

Again, the extinct volcanoes of Central France, which appear 
to form an isolated group, indicate, when viewed in detail, a linear 
arrangement ranging from north to south. Another region over 
which extinct craters are distributed lies along the banks of the 
Rhine, above Bonn and the Moselle ; a fourth in Hungary ; a fifth 
in Asia Minor and Northern Palestine; and a sixth in Central 
Asia around Lake Balkash. These are all continental, and the 
linear distribution is not apparent. 

By far the most extensive regions with sporadically distrib- 
uted volcanic vents, both active and extinct, are those which are 
overspread by the waters of the ocean, where the vents emerge in 
the form of islands. These are to be found in all the great oceans, 
the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Indian ; but are especially numer- 
ous over the central Pacific region. 

VOLCANIC CORAL REEFS. 

As Kotzebue and subsequently Darwin have pointed out, all 
the islands of the Pacific are either coral-reefs or of volcanic origin ; 
and many of these rise from great depths ; that is to say, from 
depths of iooo to 2000 fathoms. It is unnecessary here to attempt 
to enumerate all these islands which rise in solitary grandeur 
from the surface of the ocean, and are the scenes of volcanic opera- 
tions; a few may, however, be enumerated. 

In the Atlantic, Iceland first claims notice, owing to the mag- 
nitude and number of its active vents and the variety of the accom- 
panying phenomena, especially the geysers. As L/yell has 
observed, with the exception of Etna and Vesuvius, the most com- 
plete chronological records of a series of eruptions in existence 
are those of Iceland, which come down from the ninth century of 
our era, and which go to show that since the twelfth century there 
has never been an interval of more than forty years without either 



HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 399 

an eruption or a great earthquake. So intense is the volcanic 
energy in this island that some of the eruptions of Hecla have 
lasted six years without cessation. 

Earthquakes have often shaken the whole island at once, 
causing great changes in the interior, such as the sinking down 
of hills, the rending of mountains, and the desertion by rivers of 
their channels, and the appearance of new lakes. New islands 
have often been thrown up near the coast, while others have dis- 
appeared. In the intervals between eruptions, innumerable hot 
springs afford veut to the subterranean heat, and solfataras dis- 
charge copious streams of inflammable matter. The volcanoes in 
different parts of the island are observed, like those of the Phle- 
grsean Fields, to be in activity by turns, one vent serving for a 
time as a safety-valve for the others. 

A HISTORIC ERUPTION, 

The most memorable eruption of recent years was that of 
Skapta Jokul in 1783, when a new island was thrown up, and two 
torrents of lava issued forth, one forty-five and the other fifty 
miles in length, and which, according to the estimate of Professor 
Bischoff, contained matter surpassing in magnitude the bulk of 
Mont Blanc. One of these streams filled up a large lake, and 
entering the channel of the Skapta, completely dried up the river. 
The volcanoes of Iceland may be considered as safety-valves 
to the region in which lie the British Isles. 

This group of volcanic isles rises from deep Atlantic waters 
north of the Equator, and the vents of eruption are partially active, 
partially dormant, or extinct. It must be supposed, however, that 
at a former period volcanic action was vastly more energetic than 
at present ; for except at the Grand Canary, Gomera, Forta Ven- 
tura and Lancerote, where various non-volcanic rocks are found, 
these islands appear to have been built up from their foundations 
of eruptive materials. 

The highest point in the Azores is the Peak of Pico, which 
rises to a height of 7016 feet above the ocean. But this great ele- 
vation is surpassed by that of the Peak of Teneriffe (or Pic de 



400 HOME OF AMERICAN VOLCANOES. 

Teyde) in the Canaries, which attains to an elevation of 12,225 
feet, as determined by Professor Piazzi Smyth. 

This great volcanic cone, rising from the ocean, its summit 
shrouded in snow, and often protruding above the clouds, must be 
an object of uncommon beauty and interest when seen from the 
deck of a ship. The central cone, formed of trachyte, pumice, 
obsidian and ashes, rises out of a vast cauldron of older balsaltic 
rocks with precipitous inner walls — much as the cone of Vesuvius 
rises from within the partially encircling walls of Somma. From 
the summit issue forth sulphurous vapors, but no flame. 

OUTER RING OF BASALT. 

Piazzi Smyth, who during a prolonged vist to this mountain 
in 1856 made a careful survey of its form and structure, shows 
that the great cone is surrounded by an outer ring of basalt 
enclosing two foci of eruption, the lavas from which have broken 
through the ring of the outer crater on the western side, and have 
poured down the mountain. At the top of the peak its once active 
crater is filled up, and we find a convex surface ("The Plain of 
Rambleta") surmounted towards its eastern end by a diminutive 
cone, 500 feet high, called " Humboldt's Ash Cone." The slope 
of the great cone of Teneriffe ranges from 28 to 38 ; and below a 
level of 7000 feet the general slope of the whole mountain down to 
the water's edge varies from io° to 12 from the horizontal. The 
great cone is penetrated by numerous basaltic dykes. 

The Cape de Verde Islands, which contain beds of limestone 
along with volcanic matter, possess in the island of Fuego an 
active volcano, rising to a height of 7000 feet above the surface of 
the ocean. The central cone, like that of Teneriffe, rises from 
within an outer crater, formed of basalt alternating with beds of 
agglomerate, and traversed by numerous dykes of lava. This has 
been broken down on one side like that of Somma ; and over its 
flanks are scattered numerous cones of scoria, the most recent 
dating from the years 1785 and 1799. 




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CHAPTER XVIII. 

Amazing Phenomena Connected with Volcanoes and 
Earthquakes. — Fiery Explosions and Mountains in 
Convulsions.— Changes in the Surface of the Earth. 

by sir john f. w. herschel, bart. 

[The following accurate and scientific account of the causes and 
effects of volcanoes and earthquakes is furnished by the most eminent 
authority on these subjects known to the world, and is of special interest 
in connection with the great disasters in the Islands of Martinique 
and St. Vincent.] 

i PURPOSE to say something- about volcanoes and earthquakes. 

* It is a subject I have thought a good deal about, and seen a 
little of, for though I have never been so fortunate as to have 
seen a volcano in eruption, or to have been shaken out of my bed 
by an earthquake, still I have climbed the cones of Vesuvius and 
Etna, hammer in hand and barometer on back, and have wandered 
over and geologized among, I believe, nearly all the principal 
scenes of extinct volcauic activity in Europe, those of Spain 
excepted. 

Every one knows that a volcano is a mountain that vomits 
out fire, and smoke, and cinders, and melted lava, and sulphur, and 
steam, and gases, and all kinds of horrible things ; nay, even 
sometimes mud, and boiling water, and fishes ; and everybody 
has heard or read of the earth opening, and swallowing up man 
and beast, and houses and churches ; and closing on them with a 
snap, and smashing them to pieces ; and then perhaps opening 
again, and casting them out with a flood of dirty water from some 
river or lake that has been gulped down with them. Now, all 
this, and much more, is literally true, and has happened over and 
over again ; and when we have imagined it all, we shall have 
formed a tolerably correct notion of some at least of these 
visitations. 

26-MAR 401 



402 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

And perhaps some rnay have been tempted to ask why and 
how it is that God has permitted this fair earth to be visited with 
such destruction. It can hardly be for the sins of men : for when 
these things occur they involve alike the innocent and the guilty ; 
and besides , the volcano and the earthquake were raging on this 
earth with as much, nay greater violence, thousands and thou- 
sands of years before man set foot upon it. But perhaps, on the 
other hand, it may have occurred to some to ask themselves 
whether it is not just possible that these ugly affairs are sent 
among us for some beneficent purposes ; or at all events that they 
may form part and parcel of some great scheme of providential 
arrangement which is at work for good and not for ill. 

INCIDENTAL CATASTROPHES. 

A ship sometimes strikes on a rock, and all on board perish ; 
a railway train runs into another, or breaks down, and then wounds 
and contusions are the order of the day ; but nobody doubts that 
navigation and railway communication are great blessings. None 
of the great natural provisions for producing good are exempt in 
their workings from producing occasional mischief. Storms 
disperse and dilute pestilental vapors, and lightnings decompose 
and destroy them ; but both the one and the other often annihilate 
the works of man, and inflict upon him sudden death. 

Well, then, I think I shall be able to show that the volcano 
and the earthquake, dreadful as they are, as local and temporary 
visitations, are in fact unavoidable (I had almost said necessary) 
incidents in a vast system of action to which we owe the very 
ground we stand upon, the very land we inhabit, without which 
neither man, beast, nor bird would have a place fortheir existence, 
and the world would be the habitation of nothing but fishes. 

Now, to make this clear, I must go a little out of my way 
and say something about the first principles of geology. Geology 
does not pretend to go back to the creation of the world, or concern 
itself about its primitive state, but it does concern itself with the 
changes it sees going on in it now, and with the evidence of a long 
series of such changes it can produce in the most unmistakable 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 403 

features of the structure of our rocks and soil, and the way in 
which they lie one on the other. 

As to what we see going on. — We see everywhere, and along 
every coast-line, the sea warring against the land, and everywhere 
overcoming it ; wearing and eating it down, and battering it to 
pieces ; grinding those pieces to powder ; carrying the powder 
away, and spreading it out over its own bottom, by the continued 
effect of the tides and currents. Look at our chalk cliffs, which 
once, no doubt, extended across the Channel to the similar cliffs 
on the French coast. 

What do we see ? Precipices cut down to the sea-beach, 
constantly hammered by the waves and constantly crumbling : 
the beach itself made of the flints outstanding after the softer 
chalk had been ground down and washed away ; themselves 
grinding one onother under the same ceaseless discipline ; first 
rounded into pebbles, then worn into sand, and then carried out 
farther and farther down the slope, to be replaced by fresh ones 
from the same source. 

PROCESSES GOING ON. 

Well, the same thing is going on everywhere, round every 
coast of Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Foot by foot or inch 
by inch, month by month or century by century, down every- 
thing must go. Time is as nothing in geology. And what the 
sea is doing the river is helping it to do. Look at the sand-banks 
at the mouth of the Thames. What are they but the materials of 
our island carried out to sea by the stream ? The Ganges carries 
away from the soil of India, and delivers into the sea, twice as 
much solid substance weekly as is contained in the great pyramid 
of Egypt. The Irawaddy sweeps off from Burmah sixty-two cubic 
feet of earth in every second of time on an average, and there are 
86,400 seconds in every day, and 365 days in every year ; and so 
on for the other rivers. 

What has become of all that great bed of chalk which once 
covered all the weald of Kent, and formed a continuous mass from 
Ramsgate and Dover to Beechy Head, running inland to Madams- 



404 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

court Hill and Seven Oaks ? All clean gone, and swept out into 
the bosom of the Atlantic, and there forming other chalk-beds. 
Now, geology assures us, on the most conclusive and undeniable 
evidence, that all our present land, all our continents and islands 
have been formed in this way out of the ruins of former ones. The 
old ones which existed at the beginning of things have all per- 
ished, and what we now stand upon has most assuredly been, at 
one time or other, perhaps many times, the bottom of the sea. 

Well, then, there is power enough at work, and it has been 
at work long enough utterly to have cleared away and spread over 
the bed of the sea all our present existing continents and islands, 
had they been placed where they are at the creation of the world ; 
and from this it follows as clear as demonstration can make it, 
that without some process of renovation and restoration to act in 
antagonism to this destructive work of old Neptune, there would 
not now be remaining a foot of dry land for living thing to stand 

upon. 

WERE HOISTED AT ONE BLOW. 

Now, what is this process of restoration ? Let the volcano 
and the earthquake tell their tale. Let the earthquake tell how, 
within the memory of man — -under the eyesight of eye-witnesses, 
one of whom (Mrs. Graham) has described the fact — the whole 
coast line of Chili, for one hundred miles about Valparaiso, with 
the mighty chain of the Andes — mountains to which the Alps 
sink into insignificance — was hoisted at one blow (in a single 
night, Nov. 19, A. D. 1S22) from two to seven feet above its former 
level, leaving the beach below the old water mark high and dry ; 
leaving the shell-fish sticking on the rocks out of reach of water • 
leaving the seaweed rotting in the air, or rather drying up to dust 
under the burning sun of a coast where rain never falls. 

The ancients had a fable of Titan hurled from heaven and 
buried under Etna, and by his struggles causing the earthquakes 
that desolated Sicily. But here we have an exhibition of Titanic 
forces on a far mightier scale. One of the Andes upheaved on 
this occasion was the gigantic mass of Acouagva, which overlooks 
Valparaiso. To bring home to the mind the conception of such 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 405 

an effort, we must form a clear idea of what sort of mountain this 
is. It is nearly 24,000 feet in height. 

Chimborazo, the loftiest of the volcanic cones of the Andes, 
is lower by 2,500 feet ; and yet Etna, with Vesuvius at the top of 
it, and another Vesuvius piled on that, would little more than 
surpass the midway portion of the snow-covered portion of that 
cone, which is one of the many chimneys by which the hidden 
fires of the Andes fine vent. On the occasion I am speaking of, 
at least ten thousand square miles of country were estimated as 
having been upheaved, and the upheaval was not confined to the 
land, but extended far away to sea, which was proved by the 
soundings off Valparaiso and along the coast, having been found 
considerably shallower than they were before the shock. 

Again, in the year 1819, in an earthquake in India, in the dis- 
trict of Cutch, bordering on the Indus, a tract of country more 
than fifty miles long and sixteen broad was suddenly raised ten 
feet above its former level. The raised portion still stands up 
above the unraised like a long perpendicular wall, which is known 
by the name of the "Ullah Bund," or " God's Wall." 

GIGANTIC UPHEAVALS. 

And again, in 1538, in that convulsion which threw up the 
Monte Nuovo (New Mountain), a cone of ashes 450 feet high, in 
a single night ; the whole coast of Pozzuoli, near Naples, was 
raised twenty feet above its former level, and remains so perma- 
nently upheaved to this day. And I could mention innumerable 
other instances of the same kind. 

This, then, is the manner in which the earthquake does its 
work ; and it is always at work. Somewhere or other in the world, 
there is perhaps not a day, certainly not a month, without an 
earthquake. In those districts of South and Central America, 
where the great chain of volcanic cones is situated — Chimborazo, 
Cotopaxi, and a long list with names unmentionable, or at least 
unpronounceable — the inhabitants no more think of counting earth- 
quake shocks than we do of counting showers of rain. 

Indeed, in some places along the coast, a shower is a greater 



406 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

rarity. Even in our own island, near Perth, a year seldom passes 
without a shock, happily, within the records of history, never 
powerful enough to do any mischief. 

It is not everywhere that this process goes on by fits and 
starts. For instance, the northern gulfs, and borders of the 
Baltic Sea, are steadily shallowing ; and the whole mass of Scan- 
dinavia including Norway, Sweden and Lapland, is rising out of 
the sea at the average rate of about two feet per century. But as 
this fact (which is perfectly well established by reference to 
ancient high and low water marks) is not so evidently connected 
with the action of earthquakes, I shall not refer to it just now. 

All that I want to show is, that there is a great cycle of 
changes going on, in which the earthquake and volcano act a very 
conspicuous part, and that part a restorative and conservative 
one ; in opposition to the steadily destructive and leveling action 
of the ocean waters. 

CAUSES OF THE PHENOMENA. 

How this can happen ; what can be the origin of such an 
enormous power thus occasionally exerting itself, will no doubt 
seem very marvelous — little short, indeed, of miraculous inter- 
vention — but the mystery, after all, is not quite so great as at first 
seems. We are permitted to look a little way into these great 
secrets ; not far enough, indeed, to clear up every difficulty, but 
quite enough to penetrate us with admiration of that wonderful 
system of counterbalances and compensations ; that adjustment 
of causes and consequences, by which, throughout all nature, 
evils are made to work their own cure ; life to spring out of death ; 
and renovation to tread in the steps and efface the vestiges of 
decay. 

The key to the whole affair is to be found in the central heat 
of the earth. This is no scientific dream, no theoretical notion, 
but a fact established by direct evidence up to a certain point, and 
standing out from plain facts as a matter of unavoidable conclu- 
sion, in a hundred ways. 

We all know that when we go into a cellar out of a summer 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 407 

sun it feels cool ; but when we go into it out of a wintry frost it 
is warm. The fact is, that a cellar, or a well, or any pit of a 
moderate depth, has always, day and night, summer and winter, 
the same degree of warmth, the same temperature, as it is called ; 
and that always and everywhere is the same, or nearly the same, 
as the average warmth of the climate of the place. Forty or fifty 
feet deep in the ground, the thermometer here in this spot, would 
always mark the same degree, 49 , that is, or seventeen degrees 
above the freezing point. Under the equator, at the same depth, 
it always stands at 84 , which is our hot summer heat, but which 
there is the average heat of the whole year. 

And this is so everywhere. Just at the surface, or a few 
inches below it, the ground is warm in the daytime, cool at night ; 
at two or three feet deep the difference of day and night is hardly 
perceptible, but that of summer and winter is considerable. But 
at forty or fifty feet this difference also disappears, and you find a 
perfectly fixed, uniform degree of warmth, day and night ; summer 
and winter ; year after year. 

HOTTER AS WE GO DOWN. 

But when we go deeper, as, for instance, down into mines 
or coal-pits, this one broad and general fact is always observed — 
everywhere, in all countries, in all latitudes, in all climates, 
wherever there are mines, or deep subterranean caves — the deeper 
you go, the hotter the earth is found to be. In one and the same 
mine, each particular depth has its own particular degree of heat, 
which never varies : but the lower always the hotter ; and that not 
"by a trifling, but what may well be called an astonishingly rapid 
rate of increase — about a degree of the thermometer additional 
warmth for every 90 feet of additional depth, which is about 58 
per mile ! — so that, if we had a shaft sunk a mile deep, we should 
find in the rock a heat of 105 , which is much hotter than the 
hottest summer day ever experienced 

It is not everywhere, however, that it is worth while to sink a 
shaft to any great depth ; but borings for water (in what are 
called Artesian wells) are often made to enormous depths, and the 



408 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

water always comes up hot ; arid trie deeper the boring, the hotter 
the water. There is a very famous boring of this sort in Paris, at 
La Grenelle. The water rises from a depth of 1794 feet, and its 
temperature is 82 of our scale, which is almost that of the 
equator. And, again, at Salzwerth, in Oeynhausen, in Germany, 
in a boring for salt springs 2144 feet deep, the salt water comes 
up with with a still higher heat, viz., 91 . 

Then, again, we have natural hot water springs, which rise, 
it is true, from depths we have no means of ascertaining ; but 
which, from the earliest recorded times, have always maintained 
the same heat. At Bath, for instance, the hottest well is 117 
Fahr. On the Arkansas River, in the United States, is a spring 
of 180 , which is scalding hot; and that out of the neighborhood 
of any volcano. 

MASS OF RED-HOT IRON. 

Now, only consider what sort of a conclusion this lands us in. 
This globe of ours is 8000 miles in diameter ; a mile deep on its 
surface is a mere scratch. If a man had twenty greatcoats on, 
and I found under the first a warmth of 6o° above the external 
air, I should expect to find 6o° more under the second, and 6o° more 
under the third, and so on ; and, within all, no man, but a mass of 
red-hot iron. 

Just so with the outside crust of the earth. Every mile thick 
is such a greatcoat, and at twenty miles depth, according to this 
rate, the ground must be fully red-hot ; and at no such very great 
depth beyond, either the whole must be melted, or only the most 
infusible and intractable kinds of material, such as our fireclays 
and flints, would present some degree of solidity. 

In short, what the icefloes and icebergs are to the polar seas, 
so we shall come to regard our continents and mountain-ranges 
in relation to the ocean of melted matter beneath. I do not mean 
to say there is no solid central mass ; there may be one, or there 
may not, and, upon the whole, I think it likely enough that there 
is — kept solid, in spite of the heat, by the enormous pressure ; 
but that has nothing to do with the present argument, 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 409 

All that I contend for is this. — Grant me a sea of liquid fire, 
on which we are all floating — land and sea ; for the bottom of the 
sea anyhow will not come nearly down to the lava level. The sea is 
probably nowhere more than five or six miles deep, which is far 
enongh above that level to keep its bed from becoming red-hot. 

Well, now, the land is perpetually wearing down, and the 
materials being carried out to sea. The coat of heavier matter is 
thinning off towards the land, and thickening over all the bed of the 
sea. What must happen ? If a ship float even on her keel, trans- 
fer weight from the starboard to her larboard side, will she con- 
tinue to float even ? No, certainly. She will heel over to larboard. 
Many a good ship has gone to the bottom in this way. If the 
continents be lightened, they will rise ; if the bed of the sea receive 
additional weight, it will sink. 

BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN SINKING. 

The bottom of the Pacific is sinking, in point of fact. Not 
that the Pacific is becoming deeper. This seems a paradox ; but 
it is easily explained. The whole bed of the sea is in the act of 
being pressed down by the laying on of new solid substance over 
its bottom. The new bottom then is laid upon the old, and so the 
actual bed of the ocean remains at or nearly at the same distance 
from the surface water. But what becomes of the islands ? They 
form part and parcel of the old bottom ; and Dr. Darwin has 
shown, by the most curious and convincing proofs, that they are 
sinking, and have been sinking for ages, and are only kept above 
water — by what, think you? By the labors of the coral insects, 
which always build up to the surface ! 

It is impossible but that this increase of pressure in some 
places and relief in others must be very unequal in their bearings. 
So that at some place or other this solid floating crust must be 
brought into a state of strain, and if there be a weak or soft part, 
a crack will at last take place. When this happens, down goes 
the land on the heavy side and up on the light side. Now this is 
exactly what took place in the earthquake which raised the Ullah 
Bund in Cutch. 



410 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

I have told you of a great crack drawn across the country, not 
far from the coast line ; the inland country rose ten feet, but much 
of the sea-coast, and probably a large tract in the bed of the Indian 
Ocean, sank considerably below its former level. And j ust as you 
see when a crack takes place in ice, the water oozes up ; so this 
kind of thing is always, or almost always, followed by an upburst 
of the subterranean fiery matter. The earthquake of Cutch was 
terminated by the outbreak of a volcano at the town of Bhooi, which 
it destroyed. 

Now where, following out this idea, should we naturally 
expect such cracks and outbreaks to happen ? Why, of course, 
along those lines where the relief of pressure on the land side is 
the greatest, and also its increase on the sea side ; that is to say, 
alono- or in the neighborhood of the sea-coasts, where the destruc- 
tion of the land is going on with most activity. 

CLOSE TO THE COAST LINE. 

Well, now, it is a remarkable fact in the history of volcanoes, 
that there is hardly an instance of an active volcano at any con- 
siderable distance from the sea cost. All the great volcanic chain 
of the Andes is close to the western coast line of America. Etna 
is close to the sea ; so is Vesuvius ; Teneriffe is very near the 
African coast ; Mount Erebus is on the edge of the great Antartic 
continent. 

Out of 225 volcanoes which are known to be in actual eruption 
over the whole earth within the last 150 years, I remember only 
a single instance of one more than 320 miles from the sea, and 
that is on the edge of the Caspian, the largest of the inland seas 
— I mean Mount Demawend in Persia. 

Suppose from this, or any other cause, a crack to take place in 
the crust of the earth. Don't imagine that the melted matter 
below will simply ooze up quietly, as water does from under an 
ice-crack. No such thing. There is an element in the case we 
have not considered ; steam and condensed gases. We all know 
what takes place in a high pressure steam-boiler, with what violence 
the contents escape, and what havoc takes place, 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 411 

Now there is no doubt that among the minerals of the subterra- 
nean world, there is water in abundance, and sulphur, and many other 
vaporizable substances, all kept subdued and repressed by the 
enormous pressure. Let this pressure be relieved, and forth they 
rush, and the nearer they approach the surface the more they 
expand, and the greater is the explosive force they acquire ; till at 
length, after more or fewer preparatory shocks, each accompanied 
with progressive weakening of the overlying strata, the surface 
finally breaks up, and forth rushes the imprisoned power, with all 
the awful violence or a volcanic eruption. 

Certainly a volcano does seem to be a very bad neighbor ; 
and yet it affords a compensation in the extraordinary richness of 
the volcanic soil, and the fertilizing quality of the ashes thrown 
out. The flanks of Somma (the exterior crater of Vesuvius) are 
covered with vineyards producing wonderful wine, and whoever 
has visited Naples, will not fail to be astonished at the productive- 
ness of volcanized territory as contrasted with the barrenness of 
the limestone rocks bordering on it. 

THREE CROPS AT ONCE. 

There you will see the amazing sight (as an English farmer 
would call it) of a triple crop growing at once on the same soil ; a 
vineyprd, an orchard, and a cornfield all in one. A magnificent 
wheat crop, five or six feet high, overhung with clustering grape- 
vines swinging from one apple or pear tree to another in the most 
luxuriant festoons ! When I visited Somma, to see the country 
where the celebrated wine, the Lacryma Christi, is grown, it was 
the festival of Madonna del Arco. Her church was crowded to 
suffocation with a hot and dusty assemblage of the peasantry. 
The fine impalpable volcanic dust was everywhere ; in your eyes, 
in your mouth, begriming every pore ; and there I saw what I 
shall never forget. Jammed among the crowd, I felt something 
-jostling my legs. 

Looking down, and the crowd making way, I beheld a line 
of worshipers crawling on their hands and knees from the door of 
the church to the altar, licking the dusty pavement all the way 



412 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

with their tongues, positively applied to the ground and no mis- 
take. No trifling dose of Lacryma would be required to wash 
down what they must have swallowed on that journey, and I have 
no doubt it was administered pretty copiously after the penance 
was over. 

Now I come to consider the manner in which an earthquake 
is propagated from place to place ; how it travels, in short. It 
runs along the earth precisely in the same manner, and according 
to the same mechanical laws as a wave along the sea, or rather as 
the waves of sound run along the air, but quicker. 

The earthquake which destroyed Lisbon ran out from thence, 
as from a centre, in all directions, at a rate averaging about twenty 
miles per minute, as far as could be gathered from a comparison 
of the time of its occurrence at different places ; but there is 
little doubt that it must have been retarded by having to traverse 
all sorts of ground, for a blow or shock of any description is con- 
veyed through the substance on which it is delivered with the 
rapidity of sound in that substance. 

SOUND CONVEYED BY WATER. 

Perhaps it may be new to many to be told that sound is con- 
veyed by water, by stone, by iron, and indeed, by everything, and 
at a different rate for each. In air it travels at the rate of about 
1 140 feet per second, or about thirteen miles a minute. In water 
much faster, more than four times as fast (4700 feet). In iron ten 
times as fast (11,400 feet), or about 130 miles in a minute, so that 
a blow delivered endways at one end of an iron rod, 130 miles 
long, would only reach the other after a lapse of a minute, and a 
pull at one end of an iron wire of that length, would require a 
minute before it would be felt at the other. 

But the substance of the earth through which the shock is 
conveyed is not only far less elastic than iron, but it does not 
form a coherent, connected body; it is full of interruptions, cracks, 
loose materials, and all of these tend to deaden and retard the 
shock ; and putting together all the accounts of all the earth- 
quakes that have been exactly observed, their rate of travel may 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES, 413 

be taken to vary from as low as twelve or thirteen miles a minute 
to seventy or eighty; but perhaps the low velocities arise from 
oblique waves. 

The way, then, that we may conceive an earthquake to travel 
is this — I shall take the case which is most common, when the 
motion of the ground to-and-fro is horizontal. How far each par- 
ticular spot on the surface of the ground is actually pushed from 
its place there is no way of ascertaining, since all the surrounding 
objects receive the same impulse almost at the same instant of 
time, but there are many indications that it is often several 

yards. 

GROUND SMITTEN BY TREES 

In the earthquake of Cutch, which I have mentioned, trees 
were seen to flog the ground with their branches, which proves 
that their stems must have been jerked suddenly away for some 
considerable distance and as suddenly pushed back ; and the same 
conclusion follows from the sudden rise of the water of lakes on 
the side where the shock reaches them, and its fall on the opposite 
side ; the bed of the lake has been jerked away for a certain dis- 
tance from under the water and pulled back. 

Now, suppose a row of sixty persons, standing a mile apart 
from each other, in a straight line, in the direction in which the 
shock travels ; at a rate, we will suppose, of sixty miles per 
minute ; and let the ground below the first get a sudden and 
violent shove, carrying it a yard in the direction of the next. 
Since this shock will not reach the next till after the lapse of one 
second of time, it is clear that the space between the two will be 
shortened by a yard, and the ground — that is to say, not the mere 
loose soil on the surface, but the whole mass of solid rock below, 
down to an unknown depth — compressed, or driven into a 
smaller space. 

It is this compression that carries the shock forwards. The 
elastic force of the rocky matter, like a coiled spring acts both 
ways ; it drives back the first man to his old place, and shoves the 
second a yard nearer the third, and so on. Instead of men place 
a row of tall buildings, or columns, and they will tumble down in 



414 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

succession, the base flying forwards, and leaving the top behind 
to drop on the soil on the side from which the shock came. 

This is just what has happened in Messina in the great Catlab- 
rian earthquake. As the shock ran along the ground, the houses 
of the Faro were seen to topple down in succession ; beginning 
at one end and running on to the other, as if a succession of mines 
had been sprung. In the earthquake in Cutch, a sentinel stand- 
ing at one end of a long straight line of wall, saw the wall bow- 
forward and recover itself; not all at once, but with a swell like a 
wave running all along it with immense rapidity. 

In this case it is evident that the earthquake wave must have 
its front oblique to the direction of the wall (just as an obliquely- 
held \ule runs along the edge of a page of paper while it advances, 
like a wave of the sea, perpendicularly to its own length). 

CONCERNING EXTINCT VOLCANOES. 

In reference to extinct volcanoes, I may just mention that any 
one who wishes to see some of the finest specimens in Kurope may 
do so by making a couple of days' railway travel to Clermont, in the 
department of the Puy-de-Dome in France. There he will find a 
magnificent series of volcanic cones, fields of ashes, streams of 
lavas, and basaltic terraces of platforms, proving the volcanic 
action to have been continued for countless ages before the present 
surface of the earth was formed; and all so clear that he who runs 
may read their lesson. There can there be seen a configuration of 
surface quite resembling what telescopes show in the most volcanic 
districts of the moon. Let not my hearers be startled ; half the 
moon's face is covered with unmistakable craters of extinct 
volcanoes. 

Many of the lavas of Auvergne and the Puy-de-Dome are 
basaltic ; that is, consisting of columns placed close together ; 
and some of the cones are quite complete, and covered with loose 
ashes and cinders, just as Vesuvius is at this hour. 

In the study of these vast and awful phenomena we are 
brought in contact with those immense and rude powers of nature 
which seem to convey to the imagination the impress of brute 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 4] 5 

force and lawless violence ; but it is not so. Snch an idea is not 
more derogatory to the wisdom and benevolence that prevails 
throughout all the scheme of creation than it is in itself erroneous. 
In their wildest paroxysms the rage of the volcano and the earth- 
quake is subject to great and immutable laws : they feel the 
bridle and obey it. 

The volcano bellows forth its pent-up overplus of energy 
and sinks into long and tranquil repose. The earthquake rolls 
away, and industry, that balm which nature knows how to shed 
over every wound, effaces its traces, and festoons its ruins with 
flowers. There is mighty and rough work to be accomplished, 
and it cannot be done by gentle means. It seems, no doubt, terri- 
ble, awful, perhaps harsh, that twenty or thirty thousand lives 
should be swept away in a moment by a sudden and unforeseen 
calamity ; but we must remember that sooner or later every one of 
those lives must be called for, and it is by no means the most 
sudden end that is the most afflictive. 

NATURE'S TREMENDOUS ENERGIES. 

It is well too that we should contemplate occasionally, if it 
were only to teach us humility and submission, the immense ener- 
gies which are everywhere at work in maintaining the system of 
nature we see going on so smoothly and tranquilly around us, and 
of which these furious outbreaks, after all, are but minute, and 
for the moment unbalanced surpluses in the great account. The 
energy requisite to overthrow a mountain is as a drop in the ocean 
compared with that which holds it in its place, and makes it a 
mountain. Chemistry tells us that the forces constantly in action 
to maintain a single grain of water in its habitual state, when 
only partially and sparingly let loose in the form of electricity, 
would manifest themselves as a powerful flash of lightning. 

And we learn from optical science that in even the smallest 
element of every material body, nay, even in what we call empty 
space, there are forces in perpetual action to which even such 
energies sink into insignificance. Yet, amid all this, nature 
holds her even course : the flowers blossom ; animals enjoy their 



416 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

brief span of existence ; and man has leisure and opportunity to 
contemplate and adore, secure of the watchful care which provides 
for his well-being at every instant that he is permitted to remain 
on earth. 

The first great earthquake of which any very distinct knowl- 
edge has reached us is that which occurred in the year 63 after 
our Saviour, which produced great destruction in the neighbor- 
hood of Vesuvius, and shattered the cities of Pompeii and Hercu- 
laneum upon the Bay of Naples, though it did not destroy them. 
This earthquake is chiefly remarkable as having been the fore- 
runner and the warning (if that warning could have been under- 
stood) of the first eruption of Vesuvius on record, which followed 
sixteen years afterwards in the year 79. 

DID NOT KNOW IT WAS A VOLCANO. 

Before that time none of the ancients had any notion of its 
being a volcano, though Pompeii itself is paved with its lava. 
The crater was probably filled, or at least the bottom occupied, by 
a lake ; and we read of it as the stronghold of the rebel chief 
Spartacus, who, when lured there by the Roman army, escaped 
with his followers by clambering up the steep sides by the help 
of the wild vines that festooned them. The ground since the first 
earthquake in 63 had often been shaken by slight shocks, when 
at length, in August 79, they became more numerous and violent, 
and, on the night preceding the eruption, so tremendous as to 
threaten everything with destruction. 

A morning of comparative repose succeeded, and the terrified 
inhabitants of those devoted towns no doubt breathed more freely, 
and hoped the worst was over, when, about one o'clock in the 
afternoon, the Elder Pliny, who was stationed in command of the 
Roman fleet at Misenum in full view of Vesuvius, beheld a 
huge black cloud ascending from the mountain, which, " rising 
slowly always higher," at last spread out aloft like the head of 
one of those picturesque flat-topped pines which form such an 
ornament of the Italian landscape. 

The meaning of such a phenomenon was to Pliny and to 



AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 



417 



everyone a mystery. We know now too well what it imports, 
and they were not long left in doubt. From that cloud descended 



'r. : '-i 



¥«., 






mm. 




'&,::r 



- ■ 



cam 1 
I 




TERRIFIC ERUPTION OF THE GREAT CRATER OF VESUVIUS. 

stones, ashes, and pumice ; and the cloud itself lowered down 
upon the surrounding country, involving land and sea in profound 
darkness, pierced by flashes of fire more vivid than lightning. 
27-MAR 



418 AMAZING PHENOMENA OF VOLCANOES. 

These, with the volumes of ashes that began to encumber 
the soil, and which covered the sea with floating pumice-stone ; 
the constant heaving of the ground ; and the sudden recoil of the 
sea, form a picture which is wonderfully well described by the 
the Younger Pliny. His uncle, animated by an eager desire to 
know what was going on, and to afford aid to the inhabitants of 
the towns, made sail for the nearest point of the coast and landed ; 
but was instantly enveloped in the dense sulphureous vapor that 
swept down from the mountain, and perished miserably. 

It does not seem that any lava flowed on that occasion. 
Pompeii was buried under the ashes ; Herculaneum by a torrent 
of mud, probably the contents of the crater, ejected at the first 
explosion. This was most fortunate. We owe to it the preserva- 
tion of some of the most wonderful remains of antiquity. For it 
is not yet much more than a century ago that, in digging a well at 
Portici near Naples, the Theatre of Herculaneum was discovered, 
some sixty feet under ground, — then houses, baths, statues, and, 
most interesting of all, a library full of books ; and those books 
still legible, and among them the writings of some ancient 
authors which had never before been met with, but which have 
now been read, copied, and published, while hundreds and 
hundreds, I am sorry to say, still remain unopened. 

Pompeii was not buried so deep ; the walls of some of the 
buildings appeared among the modern vineyards, and led to exca- 
vations which were easy, the ashes being light and loose. And 
there you now may walk through the streets, enter the houses 
and find the skeletons of their inmates, some in the very act of 
,trying to escape. Nothing can be more strange and striking. 

Since that time Vesuvius has been frequentfy, but very 
irregularly, in eruption. The next after Pompeii was in the year 
202, under Severus, and in 472 occurred an eruption so tremendous 
that all Europe was covered by the ashes, and even Constantinople 
thrown into alarm. This may seem to savor of the marvelous, 
but befcre I have done I hope to show that it is not beyond what 
we know of the power of existing volcanoes. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Great Volcanic Eruptions in Many Parts of the World. 
Story of Mt. Etna. — Convulsions in South America 
and Elsewhere. 

T SHALL not, of course, occupy attention with a history of Vesu- 
* vius, but pass at once to the eruption of 1779 — one of the 
most interesting on record, from the excellent account given of 
it by Sir William Hamilton, who was then resident at Naples as 
our Minister, and watched it throughout with the eye of an artist 
as well as the scrutiny of a philosopher. 

In 1767, there had been a considerable eruption, during which 
Pliny's account of the great pine-like, flat-topped, spreading mass 
of smoke had been superbly exemplified ; extending over the 
Island of Capri, which is twenty-eight miles from Vesuvius. The 
showers of ashes, the lava currents, the lightnings, thunderings, 
and earthquakes were very dreadful ; but they were at once 
brought to a close when the mob insisted that the head of St. 
Januarius should be brought out and shown to the mountain ; and 
when this was done, all the uproar ceased on the instant, and 
Vesuvius became as quiet as a lamb ! 

He did not continue so, however, and it would have been well 
for Naples if the good Saint's head could have been permanently 
fixed in some conspicuous place in sight of the hill — for from 
that time till the year 1779 it never was quiet. 

In the spring of that year it began to pour out lava ; and on 
one occasion, when Sir William Hamilton approached too near, 
the running stream was on the point of surrounding him ; and the 
sulphureous vapor cut off his retreat, so that his only mode of 
escape was to walk across the lava, which, to his astonishment, 
and, no doubt, to his great joy, he found accompanied with no 
difficulty, and with no more inconvenience than what proceeded 
from the radiation of heat on his legs and feet from the scorise 
and cinders with which the external crust of the lava was loaded , 

419 



420 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

and which in great measure intercepted and confined the glowing 
heat of the ignited mass below. 

In such cases, and when cooled down to a certain point, the 
motion of the lava-stream is slow and creeping ; rather rolling 
over itself than flowing like a river ; the top becoming the bottom, 
owing to the toughness of the half-congealed crust. When it 
issues, however, from any accessible vent, it is described as per- 
fectly liquid, of an intense white heat, and spouting or welling 
forth with extreme rapidity. 

So Sir Humphrey Davy described it in an eruption at which 
he was present ; and so Sir William Hamilton, in the eruption we 
are now concerned with, saw it "bubbling up violently" from 
one of its fountains on the slope of the volcano, " with a hissing 
and crackling- noise, like that of an artificial firework ; and form- 
ing, by the continual splashing up of the vitrified matter, a sort 
of dome or arch over the crevice from which it issued," which was 
all, internally, "red-hot like a heated oven." 

RUMBLING NOISES AND EXPLOSIONS, 

However, as time went on, this quiet mode of getting rid of 
its contents would no longer suffice, and the usual symptoms of 
more violent action — rumbling noises and explosions within the 
mountain ; puffs of smoke from its crater, and jets of red-hot stones 
and ashes — continued till the end of July, when they increased 
to such a degree as to exhibit at night the most beautiful firework 
imaginable. 

The eruption came to its climax from the 5th to the 10th of 
August, on the former of which days, after the ejection of an 
enormous volume of white clouds, piled like bales of the whitest 
cotton, in a mass exceeding four times the height and size of the 
mountain itself; the lava began to overflow the rim of the crater, 
and stream in torrents down the steep slope of the cone. This 
was continued till the 8th, when the great mass of the lava would 
seem to have been evacuated, and no longer repressing by its 
weight the free discharge of the imprisoned gases, allowed what 
remained to be ejected in fountains of fire, carried up to an 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 



421 



immense height in the air. The description of one of these I 
must give in the picturesque and vivid words of Sir William 
Hamilton himself. 

"About nine o'clock," he says, on Sunday the 8th of August, 
" there was a loud report, which shook the houses at Portici ana 




NAPLES, SHOWING MOUNT VESUVIUS IN THE DISTANCE. 

its neighborhood to such a degree as to alarm the inhabitants and 
drive them out into the streets. Many windows were broken, and 
as I have since seen, walls cracked by the concussion of the air 
from that explosion. In one instant a fountain of liquid trans- 
parent fire began to rise, and gradually increasing, arrived at so 
amazing a height as to strike every one who beheld it with the 
most awful astonishment. I shall scarcely be credited when I 



122 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

assure you that, to the best of my judgment, the height of this 
stupendous column of fire could not be less than three titties that 
of Vesuvius itself; which, you know, rises perpendicularly near 
3,700 feet above the level of the sea." (The height of my own 
measurement in 1824 is 3,920 feet.) 

"Puffs of smoke, as black as can possibly be imagined, 
suceeded one another hastily, and accompanied the red-hot, 
transparent, and liquid lava, interrupting its splendid brightness 
here and there by patches of the darkest hue. Within these 
puffs of smoke, at the very moment of their emission from the 
crater, I could perceive a bright but pale electrical fire playing 
about in zigzag lines. 

THROWN UPWARD THOUSANDS OF FEET. 

" The liquid lava, mixed with scoriae and stones, after having 
mounted, I veritably believe at least 10,000 feet, falling perpen- 
dicularly on Vesuvius, covered its whole cone, part of that of 
Somma, and the valley between them. The falling matter being 
nearly as vivid and inflamed as that which was continually issuing 
fresh from the crater, formed with it one complete body of fire, 
which could not be less than two miles and a half in breadth, and 
of the extraordinary height above mentioned ; casting a heat to 
the distance of at least six miles around it. 

"The brushwood of the mountain of Somma was soon in flame, 
which, being of a different tint from the deep red of the matter 
thrown out from the volcano, and from the silvery blue of the 
electrical fire, still added to the contrast of this most extraordinary 
scene. After the column of fire had continued in full force for 
nearly half an hour, the eruption ceased at once, and Vesuvius 
remained sullen and silent." 

The lightnings here described arose evident^ in part from 
the chemical activity of gaseous decompositions going forward, in 
part to the friction of steam, and in part from the still more 
intense friction of the dust, stones and ashes encountering one 
another in the air, in analogy to the electric manifestations which 
accompany the dust storms in India. 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 423 

To give an idea of the state of the inhabitants of the country 
when an explosion is going on, I will make one other extract: — 
"The mountain of Somma, at the foot of which Ottaiano is situ- 
ated, hides Vesuvius from its sight, so that, until the eruption 
became considerable, it was not visible to them. On Sunday night, 
when the noise increased and the fire began to appear above the 
mountain of Somma, many of the inhabitants of the town new to 
the churches, and others were preparing to quit the town, when a 
sudden violent report was heard, soon after which they found them- 
selves involved in a thick cloud of smoke and minute ashes; a 
horrid clashing noise was heard in the air, and presently fell a 
deluge of stones and large scoriae, some of which scoriae were of 
the diameter of seven or eight feet, and must have weighed more 
than one hundred pounds before they were broken by their falls, 
as some of the fragments of them which I picked up in the streets 
still weighed upwards of sixty pounds. 

GLEAMING SPARKS OF FIRE. 

" When the large vitrified masses either struck against each 
other in the air or fell on the ground, they broke in many pieces, 
and covered a large space around them with vivid sparks of fire, 
which communicated their heat to everything that was combustible. 
In an instant the town and country about it was on fire in man}/ 
parts ; for in the vineyards there were several straw huts which 
had been erected for the watchmen of the grapes, all of which 
were burnt. A great magazine of wood in the heart of the town 
was all in a blaze, and had there been much wind, the flames must 
have spread universally, and all the inhabitants would have 
infallibly been burnt in their houses, for it was impossible for them 
to stir out. 

"Some who attempted it with pillows, tables, chairs, tops of wint 
casks, etc., on their heads, w r ere either knocked down or driven 
back to their close quarters under arches or in the cellars of the 
houses. Many were wounded, but only tw r o persons have died of 
the wounds they received from this dreadful volcanic shower. To 
add to the horror of the scene, incessant volcanic lightning w r as 



424 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

writhing about the black cloud that surrounded them, and the 
sulphurous smell and heat would scarcely allow them to draw their 
breath." 

The next volcano I shall introduce is ^tna, the grandest of 
all our European volcanoes. I ascended it in 1824, and found its 
height by a very careful barometric measurement to be 10,772 
feet above the sea, which, by the way, agrees within some eight or 
ten feet with Admiral Smyth's measurement. 

The scenery of ^Etna is on the grandest scale. Ascending 
from Catania you skirt the stream of lava which destroyed a part 
of that city in 1669, and which ran into the sea, forming a jetty 
or breakwater that now gives Catania what it never had before, 
the advantage of a harbor. There it lies as hard, rugged, barren, 
and fresh-looking as if it had flowed but 3^esterday. In many 
places it is full of huge caverns ; great air-bubbles, into which one 
may ride on horseback (at least large enough) and which com- 
municate, in a succession of horrible vaults, where one might 
wander and lose one's self without hope of escape. 

BRISTLING WITH SMALL VOLCANOES. 

Higher up, near Nicolosi, is the spot from which that lava 
flowed. It is marked by tw r o volcanic cones, each of them a con- 
siderable mountain, called the Monti Rossi, rising 300 feet above 
the slope of the hill, and which were thrown up on that occasion. 
Indeed, one of the most remarkable features of iEtna is that of 
its flanks bristling over with innumerable smaller volcanoes. For 
the height is so great that the lava now scarcely ever rises to the 
top of the crater ; for before that, its immense weight breaks 
through at the sides. 

In one of the eruptions that happened in the early part of the 
century, I forget the date, but I think it was in 1819, and which 
was described to me on the spot by ail eye-witness — the Old Man 
of the Mountain, Mario Gemellaro — the side of iEtna was rentb}' 
a great fissure or crack, beginning near the top, and throwing out 
jets of lava from openings fourteen or fifteen in number all the 
way down, so as to form a row of fiery fountains rising from dif- 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 425 

ferent levels, and all ascending nearly to the same height : there- 
by proving them all to have originated in the great internal cis- 
tern as it were, the crater being filled up to the top level. 

From the summit of ^Etna extends a view of extraordinary 
magnificence. The whole of Sicily lies at your feet, and far 
beyond it are seen a string of lesser volcanoes; the Lipari Islands, 
between Sicily and the Italian coast ; one of which, Stromboli, is 
always in eruption, unceasingly throwing up ashes, smoke, and 
liquid fire. 

But I must not linger on the summit of JBtna. We will now 
take a flight thence, all across Europe, to Iceland — a wonderful 
land of frost and fire. It is full of volcanoes, one of which, Hecla, 
has been twenty-two times in eruption within the last 800 years. 
Besides Hecla, there are five others, from which in the same 
period twenty eruptions have burst forth, making about one every 
twenty years. The most formidable of these was that which hap- 
pened in 1783, a year also memorable as that of the terrible earth- 
quake in Calabria. In May of that year, a bluish fog was observed 
over the mountain called Skaptur Jokul, and the neighborhood 
was shaken by earthquakes. 

DARKENED THE WHOLE COUNTRY. 

After a while a great pillar of smoke was observed to ascend 
from it, which darkened the whole surrounding district, and 
descended in a whirlwind of ashes. On the 10th of May, innum- 
erable fountains of fire were seen shooting up through the ice and 
snow which covered the mountain ; and the principal river, called 
the Skapta, after rolling down a flood of foul and poisonous water, 
disappeared. 

Two days after, a torrent of lava poured down into the bed 
which the river had deserted. The river had run in a ravine, 600 
feet deep and 200 broad. This the lava entirely filled ; and not only 
so, but it overflowed the surrounding country, and ran into a great 
lake, from which it instantly expelled the water in an explosion 
of steam. When the lake was fairly filled, the lava again over 
flowed and divided into two streams, one of which covered some 



426 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

ancient lava fields ; the other re-entered the bed of the Skapta 
lower down ; and presented the astounding site of a cataract of 
liquid fire pouring over what was formerly the waterfall of 
Stapafoss. 

This was the greatest eruption on record in Europe. It lasted 
in its violence till the end of August, and closed with a violent 
earthquake ; but for nearly the whole year a canopy of cinder- 
laden cloud hung over the island ; the Faroe Islands, nay, even 
Shetland and the Orkneys, were deluged with the ashes ; and vol- 
canic dust and a preternatural smoke, which obscured the sun, 
covered all Europe as far as the Alps, over which it could not rise. 

GREAT DESTRUCTION OF LIFE. 

It has been surmised that the great Fireball of August 18, 
1783, which traversed all England, and the Continent, from the 
North Sea to Rome, by far the greatest ever known (for it was 
more than half a mile in diameter), was somehow connected with 
the electric excitement of the upper atmosphere produced by this 
enormous discharge of smoke and ashes. The destruction of life 
in Iceland was frightful ; 9000 men, 11,000 cattle, 28,000 horses 
and 190,000 sheep perished : mostly by suffocation. The lava 
ejected has been computed to have amounted in volume to more 
than twenty cubic miles. 

We shall now proceed to still more remote regions, and describe, 
in as few words as may be, two immense eruptions — one in Mexico, 
in the year 1759 ; the other in the Island of Sumbawa in the 
Eastern Archipelago, in 18 15. 

I ought to mention, by way of preliminary, that almost the 
whole line of coast of South and Central America, from Mexico 
southwards as far as Valparaiso — that is to say, nearly the whole 
chain of the Andes — is one mass of volcanoes. In Mexico and 
Central America there are two and twenty, and in Quito, Peru, and 
Chili, six and twenty more, in activity ; and nearly as many more 
extinct ones, any one of which may at any moment break out 
afresh. This does not prevent the country from being inhabited 
fertile and well cultivated. 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 427 

Well : in a district of Mexico celebrated for the growth of 
the finest cotton, between two streams called Cuitirnba and San 
Pedro, which furnished water for irrigation, lay the farm and 
homestead of Don Pedro de Jurullo, one of the richest and most 
fertile properties in that country. He was a thriving man and 
lived in comfort as a large proprietor, little expecting the mischief 
that was to befall him. 

In June 1759, however, a subterranean noise was heard in this 
peaceful region. Hollow sounds of the most alarming nature 
were succeeded by frequent earthquakes, succeeding one another 
for fifty or sixty days ; but they died away, and in the beginning 
of September everything seemed to have returned to its usual 
state of tranquillity. Suddenly, on the night of the 28th of Sep- 
tember, the horrible noises recommenced. All the inhabitants 
fled in terror, and the whole tract of ground, from three to four 
square miles in extent, rose up in the form of a bladder to a height 
of upwards of 500 feet. 

IMMENSE TORRENT OF BOILING MUD. 

Flames broke forth over a surface of more than half a square 
league, and through a thick cloud of ashes illuminated by this 
ghastly light, the refugees, who had ascended a mountain at some 
distance, could see the ground as if softened by the heat, and 
swelling and sinking like an agitated sea. Vast rents opened in 
the earth, into which the two rivers I mentioned precipitated 
themselves, but so far from quenching the fires, only seemed to 
make them more furious. Finally, the whole plain became 
covered with an immense torrent of boiling mud, out of which 
sprang thousands of little volcanic cones called Hornitos, or 
ovens. 

But the most astonishing part of the whole was the opening 
of a chasm vomiting out fire, and red-hot stones and ashes, which 
accumulated so as to form " a range of six large mountain masses, 
one of which is upwards of 1600 feet in height above the old 
level, and which is now known as the volcano of Jurullo. It is 
continually burning, and for a whole year continued to throw up 



428 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

an immense quantity of ashes, lava and fragments of rock. The 
roofs of houses at the town or village of Queretaro, upwards of 
140 miles distant, were covered with the ashes. 

The two. rivers have again appeared, issuing at some distance 
from among the hornitos, but no longer as sources of wealth and 
fertility, for they are scalding hot, or at least were so when Baron 
Humboldt visited them several years after the event. The ground 
even then retained a violent heat, and the hornitos were pouring 
forth columns of steam twenty or thirty feet high, with a rum- 
bling noise like that of a steam boiler. 

The island of Sumbawa is one of that curious line of islands 
which links on Australia to the southeastern corner of Asia. It 
forms, with one or two smaller volcanic islands, a prolongation of 
Java, at that time, in 18 15, a British possession, and under the 
o-overnment of Sir Stamford Raffles, to whom we owe the account 
of the eruption, and who took a great deal of pains to ascertain 
all the particulars. Java itself, I should observe, is one rookery 
of volcanoes, and so are all the adjoining islands in that long 
crescent-shaped line I refer to. 

EXTRAORDINARY ERUPTION. 

On the island of Sumbawa is the volcano of Tomboro, which 
broke out into eruption on the 5th of April in that year, and I 
can hardly do better than quote the account of it in Sir Stamford 
Raffles' own words : 

"Almost everyone," says this writer, "is acquainted with 
the intermitting convulsions of Etna and Vesuvius as they 
appear in the descriptions of the poet, and the authentic accounts 
of the naturalist ; but the most extraordinary of them can bear 
no comparison, in point of duration and force, with that of Mount 
Tomboro in the island of Sumbawa ! This eruption extended 
perceptible evidences of its existence over the whole of the 
Molucca Islands, over Java, a considerable portion of the Celebes, 
vSumatra and Borneo, to a circumference of 1000 statute miles 
from its centre" (i. e., to 1000 miles distance), " 03^ tremulous 
motions and the report of explosions. 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 429 

" In a sliort time the whole mountain near the Sang'ii" 
appeared like a body of liquid fire, extending itself in every direc- 
tion. The fire and columns of flame continued to rage with 
unabated fury until the darkness, caused by the quantity of falling 
matter, obscured it about 8 P. M. Stones at this time fell very 
thick at Saug'ir, some of them as large as two fists, but generally 
not larger than walnuts. Between 9 and 10 P. M. ashes began 
to fall, and soon after a violent whirlwind ensued, which blew down 
nearly every house of Saug'ir, carrying the roofs and light parts 
away with it. 

HUGE TREES TORN UP. 

" In the port of Saug'ir, adjoining Sumbawa, its effects were 
much more violent, tearing up by the roots the largest trees, and 
carrying them into the air, together with men, horses, cattle, and 
whatsoever came within its influence. This will account for the 
immense number of floating trees seen at sea. The sea rose nearly 
twelve feet higher than it had ever been known to do before, and 
complete^ spoiled the only small spots of rice land in Sang'ir 
sweeping away houses and everything within its reach. The 
whirlwind lasted about an hour. No explosions were heard until 
the whirlwind had ceased at about 11 P. M. From midnight 
till the evening of the nth they continued without intermission; 
after that time their violence moderated and they were heard only 
at intervals ; but the explosions did not cease entirely until the 
15th of July. 

" Of all the villages round Tomboro, Tempo, containing 
abont forty inhabitants, is the only one remaining. In Pekate 
no vestige of a house is left; twenty-six of the people, who were 
at Sumbawa at the time, are the whole of the population who 
have escaped. From the best inquiries, there were certain^ not 
fewer than 12,000 individuals in Tomboro and Pekate at the time 
of the eruption, of whom five or six survive. 

" The trees and herbage of every description along the whole 
of the north and west of the peninsula, have been completely 
destroyed, with the exception of a high point of land near the spot 



430 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

where the village of Tomboro .stood. At Sang'ir, it is added, the 
famine occasioned by this event was so extreme, that one of the 
rajah's own daughters died of starvation. 

" I have seen it computed that the quantity of ashes and lava 
vomited forth in this awful eruption would have formed three 
mountains the size of Mont Blanc, the highest of the Alps ; and 
if spread over the surface of Germany, would have covered the 
whole of it two feet deep. The ashes did actually cover the whole 
island of Tombock, more than one hundred miles distant, to that 
depth, and 44,000 persons there perished by starvation, from the 
total destruction of all vegetation. 

LAKE OF MOLTEN LAVA. 

"The mountain Kirauiah, in the island of Owyhee, one of the 
Sandwich Isles, exhibits the remarkable phenomenon of a lake of 
molten and very liquid lava always filling the bottom of the 
crater, and always in a state of terrific ebullition, rolling to and 
fro its fiery surge and flaming billows — yet with this it is content, 
for it would seem that at least for a long time past there has been 
no violent outbreak so as to make what is generally understood by 
a volcanic eruption. 

"Volcanic eruptions are almost always preceded by earth- 
quakes, by which the beds of rock, that overlie and keep down the 
struggling powers beneath, are dislocated and cracked, till at last 
they give way, and the strain is immediately relieved. It is chiefly 
when this does not happen, when the force below is sufficient to 
heave up and shake the earth, but not to burst open the crust, 
and give vent to the lava and gases, that the most destructive 
effects are produced. 

"The great earthquake of November 1, 1755, which destroyed 
Lisbon, was an instance of this kind, and was one of the greatest, 
if not the very greatest on record ; for the concussion extended 
over all Spain and Portugal — indeed, over all Europe, and even 
into Scotland — over North Africa, where in one town in Morocco 
8000 or 10,000 people perished. Nay, its effects extended even 
across the Atlantic to Madeira, where it was very violent ; and to 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 431 

the West Indies. The most striking feature about this earth- 
quake was its extreme suddenness. 

" All was going on quite as usual in Lisbon the morn- 
ing of that memorable day, the weather fine and clear, and 
nothing whatever to give the population of that great capital 
the least suspicion of mischief. All at once, at twenty minutes 
before 10 A. M., a noise was heard like the rumbling of cai- 
riages under ground; it increased rapidly and became a suc- 
cession of deafening explosions like the loudest cannon. Then 
a shock, which, as described bjr one writing from the spot, 
seemed to last but the tenth part of a minute, and down came 
tumbling palaces, churches, theatres, and ever}?- large public edi- 
fice, and about a third or a fourth part of the dwelling houses. 

More shocks followed in succession, and in six minutes 
from the commencement 60,000 persons were crushed in the ruins ! 
Here are the simple but expressive words of one J. Latham, 
who writes to his uncle in London. " I was on the river with one 
of my customers going to a village three miles off. Presently 
the boat made a noise as if on the shore or landing, though then 
in the middle of the water. I asked my companion if he knew 
what was the matter. He stared at me, and looking at Lisbon, 
we saw the houses falling, which made him say, 'God bless us, it 
is an earthquake !' About four or five minutes after, the boat 
made a noise as before, and we saw the houses tumble down on 
both sides of the river." They then landed and made for a hill, 
whence they beheld the sea (which had at first receded and laid a 
great tract dry) come rolling in, in a vast mountain wave fifty or 
sixty feet high, on the land, and sweeping all before it. 

Three thousand people had taken refuge on a new stone quav 
just completed at great expense. In an instant it was turned 
topsy-turv}f, and the whole quay, and every person on it, with all 
the vessels moored to it, disappeared, and not a vestige of them 
ever appeared again. Where that quay stood, was afterwards 
found a depth of 100 fathoms (600 feet) of water. It happened to 
be a religious festival, and most of the population were assembled 
in the churches, which fell and crushed them. That no horror 



432 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

might be wanting, fires broke out in innumerable houses where 
wood-work had fallen on the fires, and much that the earthquake 
had spared was destroyed by fire. 

"And then, too, broke forth that worst of all scourges> 
a lawless rufiian-like mob, who plundered, burned, and murdered in 
the midst of all that desolation and horror. The huge wave I 
have spoken of swept the whole coast of Spain and Portugal. Its 
swell and fall was ten or twelve feet at Madeira. It swept quite 
across the Atlantic, and broke on the shores of the West Indies. 
Every lake and firth in England and Scotland was dashed for a 
moment out of its bed, the water not partaking of the sudden 
shove given to the land, just as when you splash a flat saucerful 
of water, the water dashes over on the side from which the shock 
is given. 

One of the most curious incidents in this earthquake was its 
effect on ships far out at sea, which would lead us to suppose that 
the immediate impulse was in the nature of a violent blow or 
thrust upward, under the bed of the ocean. Thus it is recorded 
that this upward shock was so sudden and violent on a ship, at 
that time forty leagues from Cape St. Vincent, that the sailors on 
deck were tossed up into the air to a height of eighteen inches. 

MAINMAST SPLIT BY A BLOW. 

"So also, on another occasion, in 1796, a British ship eleven 
miles from land near the Philippine Islands was struck upwards 
from below with such force as to unship and split up the main- 
mast. 

"Evidences of a similar sudden and upward explosive action 
are of frequent occurrence among the extinct volcanoes of 
Auvergne and the Vivarais, where in many instances the perfora- 
tion of the granitic beds which form the basis or substatum of the 
whole country appears to have been affected at a single blow, 
accompanied with little evidence of disturbance of the surround- 
ing rocks — much in the same way as a bullet will pass through a 
pane of glass without starring or shattering it. 

" In such cases it would seem as if water in a liquid state 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 438 

had suddenly been let in through a fissure upon a most intensely 
heated and molten mass beneath, producing a violent but local 
explosion so instantaneous as to break its way through the over- 
lying rocks, without allowing time for them to bend or crumple, 
and so displace the surrounding masses. 

"The same kind of upward bounding movemement took place 
at Riobambo in Quito in the great earthquake of February 4, 
1797, which was connected with an eruption of the volcano of 
Tunguragua. That earthquake extended in its greatest intensity 
over an oval space of 120 miles from south to north, and 60 from 
east to west, within which space every town and village was 
levelled with the ground ; but the total extent of surface shaken 
was upward of 500 miles in one direction (from Puna to Popayan), 
and 400 in the other. Quero, Riobamba, and several other towns, 
were buried under fallen mountains, and in a very few minutes 
30,000 persons were destroyed. At Riobamba, however, after the 
earthquake, a great number of corpses were found to have been 
tossed across a river, and scattered over the slope of a hill on the 

other side. 

EARTH SHAKING VIOLENTLY. 

"The frequency of these South American earthquakes is not 
more extraordinary than the duration of the shocks. Humboldt 
relates than on one occasion, when traveling on mule-back with his 
companion Bonpland, they were obliged to dismount in a dense 
forest, and throw themselves on the ground ; the earth being 
shaken uninterruptedly for upwards of a quarter of an hour 
with such violence that they could not keep their legs. 

"One of the most circumstantially described earthquakes on 
record is that which happened in Calabria on the 5th of February, 
1783 ; I should say began then, for it may be said to have lasted 
four years. In the year 1783, for instance, 949 shocks took place, 
of which 501 were great ones, and in 1784, 151 shocks were felt, 
ninety-eight of which were violent. The centre of action seemed 
to be under the towns of Monteleone and Oppido. 

" In a circle twenty-two miles in radius round Oppido every 

town and village was destroyed within two minutes by the first 

28-mar 



434 ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 

shock, and within one of seventy miles radius all were seriously 
shaken and much damage done. The whole of Calabria was 
affected, and even across the sea Messina was shaken, and a great 
part of Sicily. 

"There is no end of the capricious and out-of-the-way accidents 
and movements recorded in this Calabrian earthquake. The 
ground undulated like a ship at sea. People became actualy sea- 
sick, and to give an idea of the undulation (just as it happens 
at sea), the scud of the clouds before the wind seemed to be fit- 
fully arrested during the pitching movement when it took place 
in the same direction and to redouble its speed in the reverse 

movement. 

HOUSES ENTOMBED. 

"At Oppido many houses were swallowed up bodily. Loose 
objects were tossed up several yards into the air. The flagstones 
in some places were found after a severe shock all turned bottom 
upwards. Great fissures opened in the earth, and at Terra Nova 
a mass of rock 200 feet high and 400 feet in diameter traveled 
four miles down a ravine. All landmarks were removed, and the 
land itself, in some instances, with trees and hedges growing on it, 
carried bodily away and set down in another place. 

" Altogether about 40,000 people perished by the earthquakes, 
and some 20,000 more of the epidemic diseases produced by want 
and the effluvia of the dead bodies. 

" Volcanoes occasionally break forth at the bottom of the sea, 
and, when this is the case, the result is usually the production of 
a new island. This, in many cases, disappears soon after it's 
formation, being composed of loose and incoherent materials 
which easily yield to the destructive power of the waves. Such 
was the case with the Island of Sabrina, thrown up in 181 1, off 
St. Michael's, in the Azores, which disappeared almost as soon as 
formed, and in that of Pantellaria, on the Sicilian coast, which 
resisted longer, but was gradually washed into a shoal, and at 
length has, we believe, completely disappeared. 

" In numerous other instances, the cones of cinders and 
scorise, once raised, have become compacted and bound together 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, 435 

by the effusion of lava, hardening into solid stone, and thus, 
becoming habitual volcanic vents, they continue to increase in 
height and diameter, and assume the importance of permanent 
volcanic islands. Such has been, doubtless, the history of those 
numerous insular volcanoes which dot the ocean in so many parts 
of the world such as Teneriffe, the Azores, Ascension, St. Helena, 
Tristan d'Acunha, etc. 

"In some cases the process has been witnessed from its com- 
mencement, as in that of two islands which arose in the Aleutian 
group connecting Kamschatka with North America, the one in 
1796, the other in 1814, and which both attained the elevation of 
3000 feet. 

VOLCANIC ACTION IN OCEANS. 

" Besides these evident instances of eruptive action, there is 
every reason to believe that enormous floods of lava have been, at 
various remote periods in the earth's history, poured forth at the 
bottom of the seas so deep as to repress, by the mere weight of 
water, all outbreak of steam, gas, or ashes ; and reposing perhaps 
for ages in a liquid state, protected from the cooling action of the 
water on their upper surface by a thick crust of congealed stony 
matter, to have assumed a perfect level ; and, at length, by slow 
cooling, taken on that peculiar columnar structure which we see 
produced in minature in starch by the contraction or shrinkage, 
and consequent splitting, of the material in drying ; and resulting 
in those picturesque and singular landscape features called 
basaltic colonnades : when brought up to-day by sudden or gradual 
. upheaval, and broken into cliffs and terraces by the action of 
'waves, torrents, or weather. Those grand specimens of such col- 
onnades which Britain possesses in the Giant's Causeway of 
Antrim, and the cave of Fingal, in Staffa, for instance, are no 
doubt extreme outstanding portions of such avast submaiine lava- 
flood which at some inconceivably remote epoch occupied the 
whole intermediate space ; affording the same kind of evidence of 
a former connection of the coasts of Scotland and Ireland as do 
the opposing chalk cliffs of Dover and Boulogne of the ancient con- 
nection of France with Britain. Here and there a small basaltic 



436 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 



island, such as that of Rathlin, remains to attest this former con- 
tinuity, and to recall to the contemplative mind that sublime 
antagonism between sudden violence and persevering effort, which 
the study of geology impresses in every form of repetition. 

"There exists a very general impression that earthquakes 
are preceded and ushered in by some kind of preternatural, and, 





NEAR VIEW OF A VOLCANIC CRATER IN SOUTH AMERICA. 

as it were, expectant calm in the elements ; as if to make the 
confusion and desolation they create the more impressive. The 
records of such visitations which we possess, however striking 
some particular cases may appear, by no means bear out this as a 
general fact, or go to indicate any particular phase of weather as 
preferentially accompanying their occurrence. 

"This does not prevent, however, certain conjunctures of 
atmospheric or other circumstances from exercising a determining 



ERUPTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. 437 

influence on the times of their occurrence. According to the 
view we have taken of their origin (viz., the displacement of 
pressure, resulting in a state of strain in the strata at certain 
points, gradually increasing to the maximum they can bear with- 
out disruption), it is the last ounce which breaks the camel's back. 
Great barometrical fluctuation, accumulating atmospheric pressure 
for a time over the sea, and relieving it over the land ; an unusu- 
ally high tide, aided by the long-continued and powerful winds 
heaping up the water ; nay, even the tidal action of the sun and 
moon on the solid portion of the earth's crust — all these causes, 
for the moment combining, may very well suffice to determine 
the instant of fracture, when the balance between the opposing 
forces is on the eve of subversion. 

" The last-mentioned cause may need a few words of expla- 
nation. The action of the sun and moon, though it cannot 
produce a tide in the solid crust of the earth, tends to do so, and, 
were it fluid, would produce it. It, therefore, in point of fact, 
does bring the solid portions of the earth's surface into a state 
alternately of strain and compression. 

"The effective part of their force, in the present case, is not 
that which aids to lift or to press the superficial matter (for that 
acting alike on the continents and on the bed of the sea, would 
have no influence), but that which tends to produce lateral dis- 
placement ; or what geometers call the tangential force. This 
of necessity brings the whole ring of the earth's surface, which 
at any instant has the acting luminal y on its horizon, into a 
state of strain ; and the whole area over which it is nearly ver- 
tical, into one of compression. We leave this point to be further 
followed out, but we cannot forbear remarking, that the great 
volcanic chains of the world have, in point of fact, a direction 
which this cause of disruption would tend rather to favor than 
to contravene. 



CHAPTER XX. 

Eruption of Etna in the Year 1865. — Mutual Dependence 
of all Terrestrial Phenomena. — Sea Coast Line of 
Volcanoes. — The Pacific " Circle of Fire." 

PHE Greek mythology, harmonizing in this respect with the 
* ideas of most nations which were acquainted with volcanoes, 
attributed to these mountains an origin altogether independent of 
the forces which are in action on the surface of the ground. Ac- 
cording to the views of the Hellenes, water and fire were two dis- 
tinct elements, and each had its separate domain, its genii, and its 
gods. Neptune reigned over the sea ; it was he that unchained 
the storms and caused the waves to swell. The tritons followed 
in his train ; the nymphs, sirens, and marine monsters obeyed 
his orders, and in the mountain valleys, the solitary naiads 
poured out to his honor the murmuring water from their urns. In 
the dark depth of unknown abysses was enthroned the gloomy 
Pluto ; at his side Vulcan ; surrounded by Cyclops, forged thun- 
derbolts at his resounding anvil, and from their furnaces escaped 
all the flames and molten matter the appearance of which so 
appalled mankind. Between the gods of water and of fire there 
was nothing in common, except that both were the sons of Chronos, 
that is, of Time, which modifies every thing, which destroys and 
renews, and, by its incessant work of destruction, makes ready a 
place for the innumerable germs of vitality which crowd on the 
threshold of life. 

Even in our days, the common opinion is not much at vari- 
ance with these mythological ideas, and volcanic phenomena are 
looked upon as events of a character altogether different from 
other facts of terrestrial vitality. The latter, the sudden changes 
of which are visible and easily to be observed, are justly considered to 
be owing principally to the position of the earth in respect to the sun 
and the alternations of light and darkness, heat and cold, dryness 
and moisture, which necessarily result. 

438 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 439 

As regards volcanoes, on the contrary, an order of entirely 
distinct facts is imagined, caused by the gradual cooling of the 
planet or the unequal tides of an ocean of lava and fire. Certainly. 
the eruptions of ashes and incandescent matter have not revealed 
the mystery of their formation, and in this respect numerous 
problems still remain unsolved by scientific men. Nevertheless, 
the facts already known warrant us in asserting that volcanic 
crises are connected, like all other planetary phenomena, with the 
general causes which determine the continual changes of conti- 
nents and seas, the erosion of mountains, the courses of rivers, 
winds, and storms, the movements of the ocean, and all the innum- 
erable modifications which are taking place on the globe. 

ORIGIN OF VOLCANOES. 

If, some day, we are to succeed in pointing out exactly and 
plainly how volcanoes likewise obey, either partially or completely, 
the system of laws which govern the exterior of the globe, the first 
and most important requisite is to observe with the greatest care 
all the incidents of volcanic origin. When all the premonitory 
signs and all the products of eruptions shall have been perfectly 
ascertained and duly classified, then the glance of science will be 
on the point of penetrating into, and duly reading, the secrets of 
the subterranean abysses where these marvelous convulsions are 
being prepared. 

The last great eruption of Btna, that central pyramid of the 
Mediterranean, which the ancients named the " Umbilicus of the 
world," is one of the most magnificent examples which can be 
brought forward of volcanic phenomena ; and as it has, moreover, 
been studied most precisely and completely, it well deserves to 
be described in some detail. 

The explosion had been heralded for some long time by pre- 
cursory signs. In the month of July, 1863, after a series of con- 
vulsive movements of the soil, the loftiest cone of the volcano 
opened on the side which faces the south. The incandescent 
matter descended slowly over the plateau 011 which stands the 
" Maison des Anglais :" and this building itself was demolished 



440 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 

by the lumps of lava which were hurled from the mouth of the 
crater. Iu some places heaps of ashes several yards thick covered 
the slopes of the volcano. 

After this first explosion, the mountain never became com- 
pletely calm ; numerous fissures, which opened on the outer slopes 
of the crater, continued to smoke, and the hot vapor never ceased 
to jet out from the summit in thick eddies. Often, indeed, dur- 
ing the night, the reflection of the lava boiling up in the central 
cavity lighted up the atmosphere with a fiery red. The liquid, 
being unable to rise to the mouth of the crater, pressed against 
the external walls of the volcano, and sought to find an issue 
through the weakest point of the crust by melting gradually the 
rocks that opposed its passage. 

GROUND RENT ASUNDER. 

Finally, in the night of the 30th to the 31st of January, 
1865, the wall of the crater yielded to the pressure of the lava; 
some subterranean roaring was heard ; slight agitations affected 
the whole of the eastern part of Sicily, and the ground was rent 
open for the length of a mile and a half to the north of Monte 
Frumento, one of the secondary cones which rise on the slope of 
Etna. Through this fissure, which opened on a gently-inclined 
plateau, the pent-up lava violently broke through to the surface. 

The fissure which opened on the side of the mountain, and 
could be easily followed by the eye to a point about two-thirds of 
the height of Monte Frumento, in the direction of the terminal 
crater of Etna, seems to have vomited out lava but for a very few 
hours. Being soon obstructed by the snow and debris of the adj acent 
slopes, it ceased to retain its communication with the interior of 
the mountain, and now resembled a kind of furrow, as if hol- 
lowed out by the rain-water on the side of the cone. On the 31st 
of January all the volcanic activity of the crevice was concen- 
trated on the gently inclined plateau which extends at the base 
of Monte Frumento, in the midst of which several new hillocks 
made their appearance. 

On the lower prolongation of the line of fracture, all the 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 441 

phenomena of the eruption property so-called were distributed in 
a perfectly regular way. Six principal cones of ejection were 
raised above the crevice, and gradually increased in size, owing to 
the debris which they threw out of their craters. These, gradu- 
ally mingling their intervening slopes, and blending them one 
with another, absorbed in succession other smaller cones which 
had been formed by their sides, thus reaching a height of nearly 
300 feet. Soon after the commencement of the eruption the two 
upper craters, standing close together on an isolated cone, vomited 
nothing but lumps of stone and ashes, while jets of still liquid 
lava were emitted by the lower craters, which were arranged in a 
semi-circle around a sort of funnel-shaped cavity. 

HOW LAVA MADE ITS ESCAPE. 

In consequence of the specific gravities of the substances 
evacuated, a regular division of labor took place between the 
various points of the crevice. The proj ectiles which had solidified 
the triturated debris, and the more or less porous fragments which 
floated on the top of the lava, made their escape by the higher 
orifices ; but the liquid mass, being heavier and more compact, 
could only burst forth from the ground by the mouths opening at 
a less elevation. 

Two months after the commencement of the eruption, the 
cone which was the nearest to Frumento ceased to send out either 
scoriae or ashes. The pipe of the crater was filled up with debris, 
and the internal activity was revealed by vapors either of a sul- 
phurous character or charged with hydrochloric acid. These rose 
like smoke from the slope of the hillock. The second cone, 
situated on a lower part of the fissure, remained in direct communi- 
cation with the central flow of lava ; but it was not in a constant 
state of eruption, and rested after each effort as if to take breath. 
A crash like that of thunder was the forerunner of the explosion ; 
clouds of vapor, rolling in thick folds, gray with ashes and 
furrowed with stones, darted out from the mouth of the volcano, 
darkening the atmosphere and throwing their projectiles over a 
radius of several hundreds of yards round the pillock. 



442 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 

Then, after having discharged their burdens of debris, the 
dark clouds, giving way to the pressure of the winds, mingled far 
and wide with the mists of the horizon. The lower cones, which 
rose immediately over the lava-source, continued to rumble and 
discharge molten matter outside their cavities. The vapor 
which escaped from the seething wall of lava crowded in dark 
contortions round the orifice of the craters. Some of it was red 
or yellow, owing to the reflection of the red-hot matter, and some 
was variously shaded by the trains of debris ejected with it ; but it 
was impossible to follow them with the eye so rapid was their 
flight. An unintelligible tumult of harsh sounds simultaneously 
burst forth. They were like the noises of saws, whistles, and of 
hammers falling on an anvil. Sometimes one might have fancied 
it like the roaring of the waves breaking upon the rocks during a 
storm, if the sudden explosions had not added their thunder to all 
this uproar of the elements. 

HILLS ROARING AND SMOKING. 

One felt dismayed, as if before some living being, at the sight 
of these groups of hillocks, roaring and smoking, and increasing 
in size every hour, by the debris which they vomited forth from 
the interior of the earth. The volcano, however, then commenced 
to rest ; the erupted matter did not rise much beyond too yards 
above the craters, while, according to the statement of M. Fouque, 
at the commencement of the eruption it had been thrown to a 
height of 1850 to 1950 yards. 

During the first six days the quantity of lava which issued 
from the fissure of Monte Frumento was estimated at 117 cubic 
yards a second, equivalent to a volume twice the bulk of the Seine 
at low-water time. In the vicinity of the outlets the speed of the 
current was not less than twenty feet ^ minute ; but lower down, 
the stream, spreading over a wider surface, and throwing out sev- 
eral branches into the side valleys, gradually lost its initial speed, 
and the fringes of scoriae, which were pushed on before the incan- 
descent matter, advanced, on the average, according to the slope 
of the ground, not more than one and a half to six feet a minute. 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 443 

On the second of February the principal current, the breadth 

of which varied from 300 to 550 yards, with an average thickness 

of forty-nine feet, reached the upper ledge of the escarpment 

of Colla-Vecchia, or Colla-Grande, three miles from the 

fissure of eruption, and plunged like a cataract into the gorge 

below. It was a magnificent spectacle, especially during the night, 

to see this sheet of molten matter, dazzling red like liquid iron, 

making its way, in a thin layer, from the heaps of brown scorise 

which had gradually accumulated up above ; then, carrying with 

it the more solid lumps, which dashed one against the other with a 

metallic noise, it fell over into the ravine, only to rebound in stars 

of fire. 

ITS BEAUTY FINALLY FADED. 

But this splendid spectacle lasted only for a few days ; the 
fiery fall, by losing in height, diminished gradually in beauty. In 
front of the cataract, and under the jet itself, there was formed 
an incessantly increasing slope of lava, which ultimately filled up 
the ravine, and, indeed, prolonged the slope of the valley above. 
From the reservoir, which was more than 160 feet deep, the stream 
continued to flow to the east toward Mascali, filling up to the brink 
the winding gorge of a dried up rivulet. 

By the middle of the month of February, the fiery stream, 
already more than six miles long, made but very slow progress, and 
the still liquid lava found it difficult to clear an outlet through 
the crust of stones cooled by their contact with the atmosphere ; 
when, all of a sudden, a breaking out took place at the side of the 
stream, at a point some distance up, not far from the source. Then 
a fresh branch of the burning river, flowing toward the plains of 
Linguagrossa, swallowed up thousands of trees which had been 
felled by the woodman. 

This second inundation of lava did not, however, last long. 
The villages and towns situated at the base of the mountain were 
no longer directly menaced ; but the disasters caused by the erup- 
tion were, notwithstanding, very considerable. A number of 
farm-houses were swept away ; vast tracts of pasturage and culti- 
vated ground were covered by slowly hardening rock, and — a 



444 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 

misfortune which was all the worse on account of the almost general 
deforesting of Sicily — a wide band of forest, comprising, according 
to the various estimates that were made, from 100,000 to 130,000 
trees — oaks, pines, chestnuts, or birches — was completely destroyed. 
When seen from the lower part of the mountain, all these 
burning trunks borne along upon the lava, as if upon a river of 
fire, singularly contributed to the beauty of the spectacle. As is 
always the case in the events of this world, the misfortune of some 
proved to be a source of gratification to others. During the ear- 
liest period of the eruption, while the villagers of Etna looked at 
it with stupor, and were bitterly lamenting over the destruction of 
their forests, hundreds of curious spectators, brought daily by the 
steamboats from Catania and Messina, came to enjoy at their ease 
the contemplation of all the splendid horrors of the conflagration. 

PYRAMIDS AND TWISTED COLUMNS. 

The aspect of the current of lava, as it appeared covered with 
its envelope of scoriae, was scarcely less remarkable than the sight 
of the matter in motion. The black or reddish aspect of the 
cheire was all roughened with sharp-edged projections, which 
resembled steps, pyramids or twisted columns, on which it was a 
difficult matter to venture, except at the risk of tearing the feet and 
hands. Some months after the commencement of the eruption, the 
onward motion of the interior of the molten stone, which, by break- 
ing the outer crust in every direction, had ultimately given it this 
rugged outline, was still visibly taking place. Here and there 
cracks in the rock allowed a view, as if through an air-hole, of the 
red and liquid lava swelling up as it flowed gently along like some 
viscous matter. 

A metallic clinking sound was incessantly heard, proceeding 
from the fall of the scoriae, which were breaking under the pres- 
sure of the liquid matter. Sometimes, on the hardening current 
of lava, a kind of blister gradually rose, which either opened 
gently, or bursting with a crash gave vent to the molten mass 
which formed it. Fumerolles, composed of various gases, accord- 
ingto the degree of heat of the lava which gave rise to them, jetted 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 445 

out from all the issues. Even ou the banks of the river of stone 
the soil was in many places all burning and pierced with crevices, 
through which escaped a hot air thoroughly charged with the 
smell of burnt roots. 

On the slopes of Frumento, quite close to the upper part of 
the fissure, at a spot where the liquid mass had flowed like a tor- 
tent, M. Fouque noticed a remarkable phenomenon ; sheaths of 
solidified lava were surrounding the trunks of pines, and thus 
showingthe height to which the current of molten stone had reached. 
In like manner, the streams of obsidian which flow rapidly 
from the basin of Kilauea, in the isle of Hawaii, leave behind 
them on the branches of the trees numerous stalactites like the 
icicles which are formed by melting snow which has again frozen. 
Below the escarpments of the Frumento, the torrent, which was 
there retarded in its progress, had not contented itself with bathing 
for a moment the trunks of the forest trees, but had laid them low. 
Great trunks of trees, broken down by the lava, lay stretched in 
disorder on the uneven bed of the stream, and, although they were 
only separated from the molten matter by a crust a few inches thick, 
numbers of them were still clothed with their bark ; several had 
even preserved their branches. 

PINE TREES AND FIRS. 

At the edge of thecheire, some pine trees, which had perhaps 
been preserved from the fire by the moisture being converted by 
the heat into a kind of coating of steam, were surrounded by a 
wall of heaped up lava, and their foliage still continued green ; it 
could not yet be ascertained if the sources of the sap had perished 
in their roots. 

In some places, rows of firs very close together were sufficient 
to change the direction of the flow, and to cause a lateral deviation. 
Not far from the crater of eruption, on the western bank of the 
great cheire, a trunk of a tree was noticed which by istelf had 
been able to keep back a branch of the stream, and to prevent it 
from filling up the glen which opened immediately below. 

This tree, being thrown down by the Aveight of the scoriae, had 



446 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 

fallen so as to bar up a slight depression in the ground which pre- 
sented a natural bed to the molten matter. The latter had bent 
and cracked the trunk, but had failed in breaking it, and the stony 
torrent had remained suspended, so to speak, above the beautiful 
wooden slopes which it threatened to destroy completely. 

Round the very mouth of the volcano, a vast glade was 
formed in the forest ; the ground was covered everywhere with 
ashes which the wind had blown into hillocks, like the dunes on 
the sea coast ; all the trees had been broken down by the volcanic 
projectiles, and burned by the scoriae and small stones. The near- 
est trees that were met with, at unequal distances from the mouths 
of eruption, had had their branches torn off by the falling lumps 
of stone, or were buried in ashes up to their terminal crown. 

SEVENTY-FIVE RECORDED ERUPTIONS. 

A spectator might have walked among a number of yellow 
branches which were once the tops of lofty pines. Thus, on the 
plateau of Frumento and the lower slopes, everything was 
changed both in form and aspect ; we might justly say that, by 
the effects of the erupted matter, the outline of the sides of Etna 
itself had been perceptibly modified. 

And yet this last eruption, one of the most important in our 
epoch, is but an insignificant episode in the histoiy of the mountain ; 
it was but a mere pulsation of Etna. During the last twenty cen- 
turies only, more than seventy-five eruptions have taken place, 
and in some of them the flows of lava have been more than 
twelve miles in length, and have covered areas of more than forty 
"square miles, which were once in a perfect state of cultivation, 
and dotted over with towns and villages. In former ages, thou- 
sands of other lava-flows and cones of ashes have gradually raised 
and lengthened the slopes of the mountain. 

The mass of Mount Etna, the total bulk of which is three or 
four thousand times greater than the most considerable of the 
rivers of stone vomited from its bosom, is, in fact, from its sum- 
mit to its base, down even to the lowest submarine depths, nothing 
but the product of successive eruptions throwing out the molten 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 447 

matter of the interior. The volcano itself has slowly raised the 
walls of its crater, and then extended its long slopes down to the 
waters of the Ionian Sea. By its fresh beds ol lava and scorise 
incessantly renewed one upon the other, it has ultimately reared 
its summit into the regions of snow, and has become, as Pindar 
called it, the great " pillar of heaven." 

The earth being generally looked upon as immobility itself, 
it is a very strange thing to see it open to shoot out into the air 
torrents of gas, and shedding forth like a river the molten rocks of 
its interior. From what invisible source do all these fluid matters 
proceed which spread out in sheets over vast regions? Whence 
come those enormous bodies of steam, extensive enough to gather 
immediately in clouds arouud the loftiest summits, and sometimes 
indeed to fall in actual rain-showers ? Science, as we have already 
said, has not completely answered these questions, the positive 
solution of which would be so highly important for our knowledge 
of the globe on which we live. 

AN OLD POPULAR SUPERSTITION. 

According to an ancient popular belief, Etna merely vomits 
forth, in the shape of vapor, the water which the sea has poured 
into the gulf of Charybdis. This legend, although clothed in a 
poetic garb, has in fact become the hypothesis which is thought 
beyond dispute by those savants who look upon volcanic eruptions 
as being a series of phenomena caused chiefly by water converted 
into steam. 

The remarkable fact that all volcanoes are arranged in a kind 
of line along the coasts of the sea, or of inland lacustrine basins, 
is one of the great points which testify in favor of this opinion as 
to the infiltration of water, and give to it a high degree of proba- 
bility. The Pacific, which is the principal reservoir of the water 
of our earth, is circled round by a series of volcanic mountains, 
some ranged in chains, and others very distant from one another, 
but still maintaining an evident mutual connection, constituting 
a "circle of fire," the total development of which is about 22,000 
miles in length. 



448 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 



This ring of volcanoes does not exactly coincide with the 
semicircle formed by the coasts of Australia, the Sunda Islands, 
the Asiatic continent, and the western coasts of the New World. 
Like a crater described within some ancient and more extensive 
outlet of eruption, the great circle of igneous mountains extends 





PICTURESQUE VIEW OF LAKE TAUPO AND VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS. 

its immense curve in a westward direction across the waves of the 
Pacific, from New Zealand to the peninsula of Alaska; on the east, 
it is based on the coast of America, rising in the south so as to 
form some of the loftiest summits of the Andes. 

The still smoking volcanoes of New Zealand, Tongariro and 
the cone of Whakari, on White Island, are, in the midst of the 
southern waters of the Pacific properly so called, the first evidence 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 449 

of volcanic activity. On the north, a considerable space extends 
in which no volcanoes have yet been observed. The group of the 
Feejee Islands, at which the volcanic ring recommences, presents 
a large number of former craters which still manifest the internal 
action of the lava by the abundance of thermal springs. At this 
point, a branch crossing the South Sea in an oblique direction 
from the basaltic islands of Juan Fernandez as far as the active 
volcanoes of the Friendly group, unites itself with the principal 
chain which passes round, in a northeast direction, the coast of 
Australia and New Guinea. 

GREAT FOCUS OF LAVA STREAMS. 

The volcanoes of Abrim and Tanna, in the New Hebrides, 
Tinahoro, in the archipelago of Santa Cruz, and Semoya, in the 
Salomon Isles, succeeding one after the other, connect the knot of 
the Feejees to the region of the Sunda Islands, where the earth is 
so often agitated by violent shocks. This region may be consid- 
ered as the great focus of the lava streams of our planet. On the 
kind of broken isthmus which connects Australia with the Indo- 
Chinese peninsula, and separates the Pacific Ocean from the great 
Indian seas, one hundred and nine volcanoes are vomiting out lava, 
ashes, or mud in full activity, destroying from time to time the 
towns and the villages which lie upon their slopes ; sometimes, 
in their more terrible explosions, they ultimately explode bodily, 
covering with the dust of their fragments areas of several thou- 
sands of miles in extent. 

From Papua to Sumatra, every large island, including prob- 
ably the almost unknown tracts of Borneo, is pierced with one or 
more volcanic outlets. There are Timor, Flores, Sumbawa, 
Lombok, Bali, and Java, which last has no less than forty-five 
volcanoes, twenty-eight of which are in a state of activity, and, 
lastly, the beautiful island of Sumatra. Then, to the east of 
Borneo — Ceram, Amboyna, Gilolo, the volcano of Ternata, sung 
by Camoens, Celebes, Mindanao, Mindoro, and Luzon ; these form 
across the sea, as it were, two great tracks of fire. 

Northward of Luzon, the volcanic ring curves gradually so as 
29-MAR 



450 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 

to follow a direction parallel to the coast of Asia. Formosa, the 
L/iou-Kieou archipelago, and other groups of islands stand in a 
line over the submarine volcanic fissure ; farther on, there are the 
numerous volcanoes of Japan, one of which, Fusiyama, with a 
cone of admirable regularity, is looked upon by the inhabitants 
of Niphon as a sacred mountain, from which the gods come down. 
The elongated archipelago of the Kuriles, comprising about a 
dozen volcanic orifices, unites Japan to the peninsula of Kams- 
chatka, in which no less than fourteen volcanoes are reckoned as 
being in full activity. 

To the east of this peninsula, the range of craters suddenly 
changes its direction, and describes a graceful semicircle across the 
Pacific, from Behring Island to the point of Alaska. Thirty-four 
smoking cones stand on this great transversal dike, extending from 
continent to continent. Ounimak, which rises on the extremity 
of the peninsula of Alaska, the peak of which is 7939 feet in 
height, serves as the western limit of the New World, and is also 
pierced by a crater in a state of full activity. 

VOLCANO IN ALASKA. 

Eastward of the peninsula, the volcanic chain extends along 
the seacost of the continent. Mount St. Elias, one of the highest 
summits in America, often vomits lava from its crater, which opens 
at an elevation of 17,716 feet. Farther to the south, another 
active volcano, Mount Fairweather, rises to a height of 14,370 
feet. Next comes Mount Edgecumbe, in Lazarus Island, and 
the volcanic region of British Columbia. The whole chain of the 
Cascades, in Oregon, as well as the parallel ranges of the Sierra 
Nevada and the Rocky Mountains, are overlooked by a great 
number of volcanoes ; but only a few of them continue to throw 
out smoke and ashes : these are Mount Baker, Renier, and St. 
Helens, enormous peaks 10,000 to 16,000 feet high. 

In California and Northern Mexico, it is probable that the 
basaltic and trachtic mountains on the coast no longer present 
outlets of eruption. Subterranean activity is not manifested with 
an}' degree of violence until we reach the high plateaux of Central 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 451 

Mexico. There a series of volcanoes, rising over a fissure cross- 
ing the continent, extends over the whole plateau of Anahuac, 
from the Southern Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. The Colima, 
then the celebrated Jorullo, which made its appearance in 1759, the 
Nevado de Tolima, Istacihuetl, Popocatepetl, Orizaba, and Tuxtla 
are the vents for the furnace of lava which is boiling beneath 
he Mexican plateau. 

To the south, in Gautemala and the South American repub- 
lics, thirty burning mountains, much more active and terrible than 
those of Anahuac, rise in two chains, one of which is parallel to 
the sea-coast, and the other crosses obliquely the isthmus of 
Nicaragua. Among these numerous volcanoes there are some, 
the names of which have become famous on account of the frightful 
disasters which have been caused by their eruptions. Such are 
the mountains del Fuego and del Agua, above the Ciudad-Antigua 
of Gautemala; the Phare d'lsalco, which during the night lights 
up far and wide the plains of Salvador with its jets of molten 
stone and its column of red smoke ; Coseguina, the last great 
eruption of which was probably the most formidable of modern 
times ; the Viejo, Nuevo, Momotombo, and other mountains, which 
are almost worshiped from being so much dreaded. 

ON THE PACIFIC COAST. 

The depressions of the isthmuses of Panama and Darien 
interrupt the series of volcanoes which border on the coast of the 
Pacific. The peak of Tolima, which rises to the great height of 
17,716 feet, is the most northern of the active volcanoes of South 
America, and is also one of the most distant from the sea among 
all the fire-vomiting mountains, for the distance from its base 
to the Pacific coast is not less than 124 miles. South of 
Tolima, and the great plateau of Pasto, where there likewise exists 
a crater, stands the magnificent group of sixteen volcanoes, some 
already extinct and some still smoking, over which towers the 
proud dome of Chimborazo. 

Occupying an elliptical space, the great axis of which is only 
about 112 miles Ion g, this group, comprising the Tunguagua, 



4fr2 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA, 

Carahuizo, Cotopaxi, Antisana, Pichincha, Imbabura, and Sangay, 
is often looked upon as but one volcano with several eruptions ; 
it is the cluster which, on the southern coasts of the Isthmus of 
Panama, corresponds symmetrically to the volcanic group of 
Anahuac. South of Sangay, which is perhaps the most destruc- 
tive volcano on the earth, the chain of the Cordelleras offers no 
volcanoes for a length of about 930 miles ; but in Southern Peru 
the volcanic series recommences, and outlets of eruption still in 
action open at intervals among extinct volcanoes and domes of 
trachyte. 

The three smoking peaks of the inhabited part of Chili, the 
mountains of Antuco, Villarica, and Osono, terminate the series of 
the great American volcanoes ; the activity of subterranean action 
is, however, disclosed by some other less elevated craters down to 
the extremity of the continent as far as the point of Terra-del- 
Fuego. This is not all ; the South Shetland Islands, situated in 
the Southern Ocean, in a line with the New World, are likewise 
volcanic in their character ; and if the same direction be followed 
toward the polar regions, the line will ultimately touch upon the 
coasts of the land of Victoria, on which rise the two lofty volcanoes 
of Erebus and Mount Terror, discovered by Sir John Ross. 

VOLCANIC CIRCLE ROUND THE EARTH. 

Stretching round the sphere of the earth, the great volcanic 
circle is extended toward the north by various islets of the antartic, 
and ultimately rejoins the archipelago of New Zealand. Thus is 
completed the great ring of fire which circles round the whole 
surface of the Pacific Ocean. 

Within this ampitheatre of volcanoes a multitude of those 
charming isles, which are scattered in pleiads over the ocean, are 
also of volcanic origin, and many of them can be distinguished 
from afar by their smoking or flaming craters. Of this kind are 
some of the Marianne and Gallapagos Islands, which contain 
several orifices in full activity, and more than two thousand cones 
in a state of repose. Among these we must especially mention 
the Sandwich Islands, the lofty volcanoes of which rise in the 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 



453 



middle central basin of the North Pacific like so many cones of 
eruption in the midst of a former crater changed into a lake. 

The Mauna-L-oa and Mauna-Kea, the two volcanic summits 
of the island of Hawaii, are each more than 13,000 feet in height ; 
and the eruptions of the first cone, which are still in full activity, 
must be reckoned among the most magnificent spectacles of this 
kind. On the sides of the Mauna-Loa opens the boiling crater of 




VOLCANO OF TONGARRIRO, NEW ZEALAND. 

Kilauea, which is, without doubt, the most remarkable lava-source 
which exists on our planet. 

Round the circumference of the Indian Ocean the border of 
volcanoes is much less distinct than round the Pacific ; still it is 
possible to recognize some of its elements. To the north of Java 
and Sumatra, the volcanoes of which overlook the eastern portion 
of the basins of the Indian seas, stretches the volcanic archipelago 
of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in which there are several 
cones of eruption in full activity, On the west of Hindostan, the 



454 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 

peninsula of Kutch, and the delta of the Indus, are often agitated 
by subterranean forces. 

Many mountains on the Arabian coast are nothing but masses 
of lava ; and, if various travelers are to be believed, the volcanic 
furnace of these countries is not yet extinct. The Kenia, the great 
mountain of Eastern Africa, has on its own summit a crater still 
in action — perhaps the only one which exists on this continent. 
Lastly, a large number of islands which surround the Indian 
Ocean on the west and on the south — Socotora, Mauritius, Reunion, 
St. Paul, and Amsterdam Islands — are nothing but cones of 
eruption, which have gradually emerged from the bed of the 
ocean. 

The volcanic districts which are scattered on the edge of the 
Atlantic are likewise distributed with a kind of symmetry round 
three sides of this great basin. On the north, Jan Mayen, so 
often wrapt in mist, and the more considerable island of Iceland, 
pierced by numerous craters, Hecla, the Skapta-Jokul, the Kotlu- 
gaja, and seventeen other mountains of eruption, separate the 
Atlantic from the Polar Ocean. At about 1500 miles nearer the 
equator the peaks of the Azores, some extinct and some still 
burning, rise out of the sea. 

DEAD VOLCANOES. 

The archipelago of the Canaries, over which towers the lofty 
mass of the peak of Teyda, continues toward the south the 
volcanic line of the Azores, and is itself prolonged by the smok- 
ing summits of the Cape de Verde Islands. All the other moun- 
tains of lava which spring up from the bed of the Atlantic more 
to the south appear to have completely lost their activity, and on 
the coast itself there is, according to Burton, only one volcano 
still in action — that of the Cameroons. With regard to the "line 
of fire " along the western Atlantic, it is developed at the entrance 
of the Caribbean Sea with perfect regularity, like the range of the 
Aleutian Isles. Trinidad, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Do- 
minica, Gaudeloupe, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, and St. Eusta- 
tius are so many outlets of volcanic force, either through their 



MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 455 

smoking craters or their mud volcanoes, their solfataras or their 
thermal springs. 

North and south of the Antilles, the eastern coast of America 
does not present a single vent of eruption. It is a remarkable 
fact that the two volcanic groups of the Antilles and the Sunda 
Islands are situated exactly at the antipodes one of the other, and 
also in the vicinity of the two poles of flattening, the existence of 
which on the surface of the globe has been proved by the recent 
calculations of astronomers. More than this, these two great 
volcanic centres, which are undoubtedly the most active on the 
whole earth, flank, one on the west and the other on the east, the 
immense curve of volcanoes which spreads round the Pacific. 

HIGH SUMMITS ON FIRE. 

The Mediterranean is not surrounded by a circle of volcanoes ; 
but there, as elsewhere, it is from the midst of the sea, or imme- 
diately on the sea-coast, that the burning mountains rise— Etna, 
Vesuvius, Stromboli, Volcano, Epomeo and Santorin. In like 
manner, the volcanoes of mud and gas of the peninsula of Apche- 
ron, and the summit of Demavend, 14,436 feet high, rise at no 
great distance from the Caspian Sea. 

With regard to the volcanoes of Mongolia — the Turfan, which 
is said to be still in action, and the Pe-chan, which, according to 
Chinese authors, vomited forth, up to the seventh century, " fire, 
smoke, and molten stone, which hardened as it cooled " — their 
existence is not yet absolutely proved ; but even if these moun- 
tains, situated in the centre of the continent, should be in full 
activity, their phenomena might depend on the vicinity of exten- 
sive sheets of water, for this very region of Asia still possesses a 
large number of lakes, the remnants of a former inland sea, 
almost as vast as the Mediterranean. 

What is the number of volcanoes which are still vomiting forth 
lava during the present period of the earth's vitality? It is diffi- 
cult to ascertain, for often mountains have seemed for a long time ' 
to be extinct ; forests have grown up in their disused craters, and 
their beds of lava have been covered up under a rich carpet of 



456 MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF ALL TERRESTRIAL PHENOMENA. 

vegetation, when suddenly the sleeping force beneath is aroused 
and some fresh volcanic outlet is opened through the ground. 

When Vesuvius woke up from its protracted slumber to 
swallow up Pompeii and the other towns lying round its base, it 
had rested for some centuries, and the Romans looked upon it as 
nothing but a lifeless mountain like the peaks of the Apennines. 
On the other hand, it is very possible that some craters, from which 
steam and jets of gas are still escaping, or which have thrown out 
lava during the historic era, have entered decisively into a period 
of repose, ceasing somehow to maintain their communication with 
the subterranean centre of molten matter. The number of vents 
which serve for the eruption of lava can, therefore, be ascertained 
in a merely approximate way. 

Humboldt enumerates 223 active volcanoes ; Keith Johnston 
arrives at the larger number of 270, 190 of which are compre- 
hended in the islands and the Pacific "circle of fire;" but this 
latter estimate is probably too small. To the number of these 
burning mountains, standing nearly all of them on the sea-shore, 
or in the vicinity of some great fresh water basin, must be added 
the salses, or mud-volcanoes, which are also found near large 
sheets of salt water. With regard to the thousands of extinct 
volcanoes which rise in various parts of the interior of the conti- 
nent, geology shows that the sea used formerly to extend round 
their bases. 



CHAPTER XXL 

Torrents of Steam Escaping from Craters. — Gases Pro- 
duced by the Decomposition of Sea-water. — Hypoth- 
eses as to the Origin of Eruption. — Growth of 
Volcanoes. 

/^NE of the most decisive arguments which can be used in 
^-^ favor of a free communication existing between marine 
basins and volcanic centres is drawn from the large quantities of 
steam which escape from craters during an eruption, and com- 
pose, according to M. Ch. Sainte-Claire Deville, at least 999 
thousandths of the supposed volcanic smoke. During the erup- 
tion of Etna, in 1865, M. Fouque attempted to gauge approxi- 
mately the volume of water which made its escape in a gaseous 
form from the craters of eruption. 

By taking as his scale of comparison the cone which appeared 
to him to emit an average quantity of steam, he found this mass, 
reduced to a liquid state, would be equivalent to about 79 cubic 
yards of water for each general explosion. Now, as these ex- 
plosions took place on the average every four minutes during a 
hundred days, he arrived at the result, that the discharge of 
water during the continuance of the phenomenon might be 
estimated at 2,829,600 cubic yards of water — a flow equal to that 
of a permanent stream discharging fifty-five gallons a second. 
Added to this, account ought to have been taken of the enormous 
convolutions of vapor which, were constantly issuing from the 
great terminal crater at Etna, and, bending over under the pres- 
sure of the wind, spread out in an immense arch around the 
vault of the sky. 

In great volcanic eruptions it often happens that these clouds 
of steam, becoming suddenly condensed in the higher layers of 
the atmosphere, fall in heavy showers of rain, and form temporary 
torrents on the mountain-side. According to the statements of 
Sir James Ross, the mountain Erebus, of the antarctic land, is 

457 



458 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

covered with snow, which it has just vomited forth in the form of 
vapor. It has besides been remarked that the vapor which issues 
from volcanoes is not always warm ; often, according to Pceppig, 
it is of the same temperature as the surrounding air. 

As was said long since by Krug von Nidda, a German savant, 
volcanoes must be looked upon as enormous intermittent springs. 
The basaltic flows may be compared to streams on account of the 
water which they contain. It is probable that most of the lava , 
which flows from volcanic fissures owes its mobility to the] 
innumerable particles of vapor which fill up all the interstices of 
moving mass. Being composed in great measure of crystals 
already formed in the body of which may be noticed nodules and 
crystals rounded by friction, the lava would be unable to descend 
over the slopes if it were not rendered fluid by its mixture with 
steam ; and the gradual slacking in speed and ultimate stoppage 
of the flow are chiefly caused by the setting free of the gases 
which served as a vehicle to the solid matter. Owing to this 
rapid loss of their humidity, basalts contain in their pores but a 
very slight quanthy of water in comparison with other rocks. 
Yet even old lava themselves contain as much as ten to nineteen 
thousandths of water at the edge of the bed, and five to eighteen 
thousandths at the centre. 

SEA-WATER DECOMPOSED. 

The various substances which are produced from craters also 
tend to show that sea-water has been decomposed in the great 
labaratory of lava. Ordinary salt or chloride of sodium, which 
is the mineral that is most abundant in sea-water, is also that 
which is deposited the first and most plentifully round the orifices 
of eruption. Sometimes, the scorise and ashes are covered for a 
vast space with a white efflorescence, which is nothing but com- 
mon salt ; one might fancy it a shingly beach which had j ust been 
left by the ebbing tide. After each eruption of Hecla, the Ice- 
landers are in the habit, it is said, of collecting salt on the slopes. 
The lava from the eruption of Frumento, analyzed by M. Fouque, 
contained about thirteen ten thousandths of marine salt. 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 459 

Almost all other component parts of sea-water are likewise 
found in the gases and deposits of fumerolles ; only the salts of 
magnesia have disappeared, but still are found under another 
form among the volcanic products. Being decomposed by the 
high temperature, just as they would be in the laboratory of a 
chemist, they go to constitute other bodies. Thus the chloride of 
magnesium is changed into hydrochloric acid and magnesia ; the 
gas escapes in abundance from the fumerolles, while the magne- 
sia remains fixed in the lava. 

FOUR PERIODS IN EVERY ERUPTION. 

As M. Ch. Sainte-Claire Deville was the first to ascertain with 
certainty, four successive periods may be observed iu every erup- 
tion, each of which periods assumes a different character, owing 
to the exhalation of certain substances. After the first period, 
remarkable especially for marine salt and the various compounds 
of soda and potash, comes a second in which the temperature is 
lower, and during which brilliantly colored deposits of chloride 
of iron are formed and hydrochloric and sulphurous acids are 
expelled. When the temperature is below 392 (Fahr.), there are 
ammoniacal salts and needles of sulphur, which are found in yel- 
lowish masses on the scoriae of lava. 

Lastly, when the heat of the erupted bodies is below 21 2° 
(Fahr.), the fumerolles eject nothing but steam, azote, carbonic 
acid and combustible gases. Thus the activity of the exhala- 
tions and deposits is in proportion to the incandescence of the 
lava. At the commencement of the eruption, the orifices throw 
out a large quantity of substances, from marine salt to carbonic 
acid ; but by degrees the power of elaboration weakens simultane- 
ously with the heat, and the gases ejected gradually diminish in 
number, and testify, by their increasing rarity, to the approach- 
ing cessation of volcanic phenomena. In consequence of the differ- 
ence which is presented by the exhalations during the various 
phases of eruptions of lava, observers have, at first sight, thought 
that each volcano was distinguished by emanations peculiar to 
itself. Hydrochloric acid was looked upon as one of the normal 



460 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

products of Vesuvius, and sulphurous vapors as more especial 
to Etna. It was stated (with Boussingault) that carbonic acid 
was exhaled especially by the volcanoes of the Andes ; and, with 
Bunsen, it was believed that combustible gases prevailed in the 
eruptions of Hecla. 

In his beautiful investigations into the various chemical 
phenomena presented by Etna and the neighboring volcanic out- 
lets, such as Vesuvius and Stromboli, M. Fouque appears to have 
established as a fact which must be henceforth beyond dispute, 
that the gradual series of these emanations is just that which 
would be produced by the decomposition of sea-water. Added to 
this, we also find in lava iodine and fluorine, both of which we 
should expect to detect in it on account of their presence in sea- 
water. The salts of bromine, of which, however, only a slight 
trace is found in sea-water, have not yet been detected in volcanic 
products, which, no doubt, proceeds from the difficulty which 
chemists have experienced in separating such very small 

quantities. 

MELTED ROCKS. 

The other mattters ejected by eruptions are of terrestrial 
origin, and evidently proceed from rocks reduced by heat to a 
liquid or pasty state; they consist principally of silica and 
alumina, and contain, besides, lime, magnesia, potash, and soda. 
Oxides of iron also enter into the composition of lava, to the extent 
of more than one-tenth, which is a very considerable proportion, 
and warrants us in looking upon the volcanic flows as actual tor- 
rents of iron ore ; sometimes, indeed, this metal appears in a pure 
state. It is to this presence of iron that lava especially owes its 
reddish color, and the sides of the crater their diversely colored 
sides. 

Compounds of copper, maganese, cobalt, and lead are also met 
with in lava ; but, in comparison with the iron, they are but of 
slight importance. Lastly, phosphates, ammonia, and gases com- 
posed of hydrogen and carbon are discharged during eruptions. 
The presence of these bodies is explained by the enormous pro- 
portion of animal and vegetable matter which is decomposed in 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 461 

sea-water. Ehrenberg found the remains of marine animalculae 
in the substances thrown out by volcanoes. 

Is the composition of the lava, and especially that of the vapor 
and gases, the same in those eruptions which take place at a 
great distance from the ocean ? It is probable that, as regards 
this point, considerable differences might be established between 
the products of volcanoes placed on the sea-coast, such as Vesuvius 
and Ktna, and those which rise far in the interior of the land, as 
Tolima, Jorullo, and Purace. This comparative study, however, 
which would be calculated to throw light on the chemical phe- 
nomena of deep-lying beds, has as yet been made at only a few 

points. 

HOT WATER UNDER GROUND. 

Eruptions are rare in volcanoes situated far from the coast, 
and when they do take place, scientific men do not happen to be 
on the spot to study the course of the occurrence. Popocatepetl, 
one of the most remarkable continental volcanoes, produces a large 
quantity of hydrochloric acid ; the snow from it, which has a 
very decided muriatic taste, is carried by the rain into the Lake 
of Tezcuco, where, in conjunction with soda, its forms salt. 

When the water, either of sea or rivers, penetrates into the 
crevices of the terrestrial envelope, it gradually increases in tem- 
perature the same as the rocks it passes through. It is well 
known that this increase of heat may be estimated on the average 
at least as regards the external part of the planet, at i° (Fahr.) 
for every 54 feet in depth. Following this law, water descending 
to a point 7500 feet below the surface would show, in the southern 
latitudes of Europe, a temperature of about 212 (Fahr.). But it 
would not on this account be converted into steam, but would re- 
main in a liquid state, owing to the enormous pressure which }'■ 
has to undergo from the upper layers. 

According to calculations, which are based, it is true, on 
various hypothetical data, it would be at a point more than nine 
miles below the surface of the ground that the expansive force of 
the water would attain sufficient energy to balance the weight of 
the superincumbent liquid masses, and to be suddenly converted 



462 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

into steam at a temperature of 8oo° to 900 (Fahr.). These gas- 
eous masses would then have force to lift a column of water of 
the weight of 1500 atmospheres ; if, however, from any cause, 
they can not escape as quickly as they are formed, they exercise 
their pressure in every direction, and ultimately find their way 
from fissure to fissure until they reach the fused rocks which exist 
in the depths. To this incessantly increasing pressure we must, 
1 therefore, attribute the ascent of the lava into vent-holes of vol- 
canoes, the occurrence of earthquakes, the fusion and the rupture 
of the terrestrial crust, and, finalty, the violent eruptions of the 
imprisoned fluids. 

But why should the vapor thus pervade the subterranean 
strata and upheave them into volcanic cones, when, by the natural 
effect of its overcoming the columns of water which press it down, 
it ought simply to rise toward the bed of the sea from which it 
descended ? In the present state of science, this is a question to 
which it seems absolutely impossible to give a satisfactory answer, 
and geologists must at least have the merit of candidly acknowl- 
edging their ignorance on this point. 

STEAM IN VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS, 

The discoveries of natural philosophy and chemistry, which 
have been the means of making known to us the enormous activity 
of steam in volcanic eruptions, will doubtless, sooner or later, ex- 
plain to us in what way this activity is exercised in the subter- 
ranean cavities. But at the present time the phenomena which 
are taking place in the interior of our globe are not better known 
to us than the history of the lunar volcanoes. 

Be this as it may, the direct observations which have been 
made on volcanic eruptions have now rendered it a very doubtful 
point whether the lavas of various volcanoes proceed from one 
and the same reservoir of molten matter, or from the supposed 
great central furnace which is said to fill the whole of the interior 
of the planet. Volcanoes which are very close to one another 
show no coincidence in the times of their eruptions, and vomit 
..forth at different epochs, lavas which are most dissimilar both in 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 463 

appearance and mineralbgical composition. These facts would be 
eminently impossible, if the craters were fed from the same 
source. 

Etna, the group of the Lipari Isles, and Vesuvius, have often 
been quoted as being volcanic outlets placed upon the same 
fracture of the terrestrial crust ; and it is added, in corroboration 
of this assertion, that a line traced from the Sicilian volcano to 
that of Naples passes through the ever-active furnace of the 
Lipari Isles. Although the mountain of Stromboli, so regular in 
its eruptions, is situated on a line slightly divergent from the 
principal line, and, on the other side, the volcanic isles of Salini, 
Alicudi, and Felicudi tend from east to west, it is possible, and 
even probable, that Vesuvius and Etna are in fact situated on 
fissures of the earth which were once in mutual communication. 
But during the thousands of years in which these great craters 
have been at work, no connection between their eruptions has 
ever been positively certified. 

TWO INDEPENDENT VOLCANOES. 

Sometimes, as in 1865, Vesuvius vomits forth lava at the 
same time as Etna ;■• sometimes it is in a state of repose when its 
mighty neighbor is in full eruption, and rouses up when the lava 
of Etna has cooled. There is nothing which affords the slighest 
indication of any law of rhythm or periodicity in the eruptive 
phenomena of the two volcanoes. The inhabitants of Stromboli 
state that, during the winter of 1865, at the moment when the 
sides of Etna were rent, the volcanic impulse manifested itself 
very strongly in their island by stirring up the always agitated 
waves of the lava-crater which commands their vineyards and 
houses. ■'< ,\ .- ■■■■■-■■ , 

A comparative calm, however, soon succeeded this temporary 
effervescence, and in the adjacent island of Volcano no increase 
of activity- was noticed. If the shafts of Etna, Vesuvius, and the 
intervening volcanoes, take their rise in One and the same ocean 
of liquid- lava, 1 all the lower craters : must necessarily Overflow 
simultaneously with the most elevated.' Now, as has often been 



464 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

noticed, the lava may ascend to the summit of Etna, at a height 
of 10,827 f eet > without a simultaneous flow of rivers of molten 
stone from Vesuvius, Stromboli, and Volcano, which are respec- 
tively but one-third, one-fourth, and one-tenth the height of the 
former. In like manner, Kilauea, situated on the sides of Mauna- 
Loa, in the Isle of Hawaii, in no way participates in the eruptions 
of the central crater opening at a point 9800 feet higher up, and 
not more than twelves miles away. 

If there is any present geological connection between the 
volcanoes of one and the same region, it probably must be attrib- 
uted to the fact of their phenomenal depending on the same 
climatic causes, and not because their bases penetrate to one and 
the same ocean of fire. Volcanic orifices are not, therefore, " safety 
valves," for two centers of activity may exist on one mountain 
without their eruptions exhibiting the least appearance of 

connection. 

OPINIONS OF MEN OF SCIENCE. 

Isolated as they are amid all the other formations on the 
surface of the earth, lavas appear as if almost independent of the 
rest. Basalts, trachytes, and volcanic ashes, are the comparatively 
modern products which are scarcely met with in the periods 
anterior to the Tertiary age. Only a very small quantity of these 
lavas of eruption has been found in the Secondary and Palaeozoic 
rocks. Formerly, most geologists thought that the granites and 
rocks similar to them had issued from the earth in a pasty or 
liquid state ; they looked upon them as the " lavas of the 
past," and believed that these first eruptive rocks were succeeded 
age after age by the diorites, the porphyries, the trap-rocks, then 
by the trachytes and the basalts of our own day, all drawn from 
a constantly increasing depth. 

They thought also that, in the future, when the whole series 
of the present lavas shall have been thrown up to the surface, 
volcanoes would produce other substances as distinct from the 
lavas as the latter are from the granite. Granites, however, differ 
so much from the trachytes and basalts as to render it impossible 
for us to imagine that they have the same origin ; added to which, 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 465 

the labors of modern savants have proved that, under the action 
of fire, granite and the other rocky masses of the same kind, 
would have been unable to assume the crystalline texture which 
distinguishes them. We are, then, still ignorant how volcanic 
eruptions commenced upon the earth, and how they are connected 
with the other great phenomena which have co-operated in the 
formation of the external strata of the globe. 

Considered singly, each volcano is nothing but a mere orifice, 
temporary or permanent, through which a furnace of lava is 
brought into communication with the surface of the globe. The 
matter thrown out accumulates outside the opening, and gradually 
forms a cone of debris more or less regular in its shape, which 
ultimately attains to considerable dimensions. One flow of molten 
matter follows another, and thus is gradually formed the skeleton 
of the mountain ; the ashes and stones thrown out by the crater 
accumulate in long slopes ; the volcano simultaneously grows 
wider and higher. 

MOUNTS INTO CLOUDS AND SNOW. 

After a long succession of eruptions, it at last mounts up 
into the clouds, and then into the region of permanent snow. At 
the first outbreak of the volcano the orifice is on the surface of the 
ground ; it is then prolonged like an immense chimney through 
the center of the cone, and each new river of lava which flows 
from the summit increases the height of this conduit. Thus the 
highest outlet of Etna opens at an elevation of 10,892 feet above 
the level of the sea ; Teneriffe rises to 12,139 feet ; Mauna-Loa, 
in Hawaii, to 13,943 feet, and, more gigantic still, Sangay and 
Sahama, in the Cordilleras, attain to 18,372 and 23,950 feet in 
elevation. 

This theory of the formation of volcanic mountains by the 
accumulation of lava and other matters cast out of the bosom of 
the earth presents itself quite naturally to one's mind. Most 
savants, from Saussure and Spallanzani down to Virlet, Constant 
Prevost, Poulett Scrope and Lyell, have been led, by their inves- 
tigations, to adopt it entirely ; indeed, in the present day it is 
30-MAR 



466 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

scarcely disputed. It is true that Humboldt, Leopold von Buch^ 
and, following them, M. Elie de Beaumont, have put forth quite a 
different hypothesis, as to the origin of several volcanoes, such as 
Etna, Vesuvius and the Peak of Teneriffe. 

According to their theory, volcanic mountains do not owe 
their present conformation to the long-continued accumulation of 
lava and ashes, but rather to the sudden upheaval of the terrestrial 
strata. During some revolution of the globe, the pent-up matter 
in the interior suddenly upheaves a portion of the crust of the 
planet into the form of a cone, and opens a funnel-shaped gulf 
between the dislocated strata, thus by one single paroxysm pro- 
ducing lofty mountains, as we now see them. As an important 
instance of a crater thus formed by the upheaval and rupture of 
the terrestrial strata, Leopold von Buch mentions the enormous 
abyss of the Isle of Palma, known by the natives under the name 
of " Caldron," or Caldera. 

HUGE FUNNEL-SHAPED CAVITY. 

The funnel-shaped cavity is of enormous dimensions, and is 
not less than four or five miles in width on the average ; the 
bottom of it is situated about 2000 feet above the level of the sea. 
Lofty slopes, from 1000 to 2000 feet in height, rise round the vast 
amphitheatre, and abut upon inaccessible cliffs, the upper ledges 
of which reach a total altitude of 5900 to 6900 feet in height. The 
highest point, the Pico-de-los-Muchachos, is covered by snow dur- 
ing the winter months ; and, although it penetrates to regions of 
the atmosphere which are of a very different character from those 
of the rest of the island, the slope that is turned toward the crater 
is so steep that blocks of stone falling from the summit roll down 
into the enclosed hollow. 

The prodigious cavity in the Isle of Palma was, perhaps, the 
most striking instance that Leopold von Buch could bring forward 
in favor of his hypothesis ; nevertheless, the exploration of this 
island, since carried out by Hartung, Lyell and other travelers, 
is very far from confirming the ideas of the illustrious German 
geologist. The lofty side walls of the hollow appear to be formed 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 467 

principally, not of solid lava, which constitute scarcely a quarter 
of the whole mass, but of layers of ashes and scoriae, regularly 
arranged like beds of sand on the incline of a talus. Basalts and 
strata of ashes lie upon one another in the greatest order round 
the inclosed hollow, which would be a fact impossible to compre- 
hend if any sudden upheaval, acting in an upward direction with 
sufficient violence to break the terrestrial crust, had shattered and 
ruptured all the strata, and by a mighty explosion, opened out 
the immense Caldron of Palma. 

LIKE CRACKS IN BROKEN GLASS. 

Finally, if a phenomenon of this kind had taken place, star- 
formed cracks, like those produced in broken glass, would be 
visible across the thickness of the upheaved strata, and their 
greatest width would be turned toward the crater. Now there are no 
fissures of this kind, and the ravines in the circumference of the 
volcano, which one might perhaps be tempted to confound with 
actual ruptures of the ground, become wider in proportion as they 
approach the sea. The enormous cavity in Palma is, therefore, a 
crater similar to those of volcanoes of less dimensions. It is, 
however, certain that the Caldera was once both shallower and 
less in extent, for the ashes and volcanic scoriae are easily carried 
away by the rain, which is swallowed up in the bottom of the 
basin, and has hollowed out for itself a wide drainage channel in a 
southwest direction. 

M. BHe de Beaumont, as his chief support of Leopold von 
Buch's hypothesis, brought forward the fact that most of the strata 
of lava — a section of which may be seen on the sides of Ktna, in 
the immense amphitheatre of the Val del Bove — are very sharply 
.inclined. The celebrated geologist affirmed that thick sheets of 
( molten matter could not run down steep slopes without being very 
soon reduced, in consequence of the acceleration of their speed 
into thin layers of irregular scoriae. If this were really the case, 
the position of the thick flows of lava in the Val del Bove must have 
changed since the date of the eruption. It would then be neces- 
sary to admit that they have been violently tilted up after having 



468 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

been originally deposited on the soil in sheets, which were either 
horizontal or very gently sloped. 

Nevertheless, the recent observations made by Sir C. I/yell, 
those of Darwin on the cones of the Gallapagos Isles, and of Dana 
on the lava flows of Kilauea ; lastly, the remarks of the Italian 
savants who studied on the spot the volcanic phenomena of 
Vesuvius and Btna, have satisfactorily proved that, in modern 
times, a great number of rivers of lava, and especially that of the 
Val-de-Bove, in 1852 and 1853, have flowed over steep slopes vary- 
ing in inclination from 15 to 40 degrees. It must, besides, be 
understood that the lava which poured over the steepest slopes 
was exactly that portion which, not having experienced any cause 
of delay, or met with any obstacle, in its course, presented layers 
of the most uniform consistence and the most regular action. 

CLEFT IN THE EARTH. 

One of the strongest arguments of scientific men in favor of 
the theory of upheaval is, that certain volcanic mountains, 
especially that of Monte-Nuovo, Pouzzoles, and Jorullo, in Mexico, 
had been suddenly raised up by the swellings of the soil. Now the 
unanimous testimony of those who, more than three centuries ago, 
witnessed the eruption of Monte-Nuovo, is, that the earth was cleft 
open, affording an outlet to vapor, ashes, scoriae, and lava, and that 
the hill, very much lower than some of the subordinate cones of 
Btna, gradually rose during four days by the heaping up of the 
matter thrown out. The total volume of this eruption was no 
doubt considerable, but compared with the amount of matter which 
flowed down upon Catania in 1669, or with the rivers of lava from 
Skaptar-Jokul, it is a mass of no great importance. 

Added to this, if the soil was really upheaved, how was it that 
the neighboring houses were not thrown down, and that the 
colonnade of the Temple of Neptune, which stands at the foot of 
the mountain, kept its upright position ? With regard to Jorullo, 
which rises to a height of more than 1650 feet, the only witnesses 
of this volcano making its first appearance were the Indians, who 
fled away to the neighboring heights, distracted with terror. 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 469 

We have, therefore, no authentic testimony on which we can 
base an hypothesis as to any swelling up of the ground in the 
form of a blister. Quite the contrary, the travelers who have 
visited this Mexican volcano since Humboldt have discovered beds 
of lava lying one over the other, as in all other cones of eruption ; 
and more than this, they have also ascertained that none of the 
strata in the ground overlooked by the mountain have been at all 
tilted up. 

It is true enough that local swellings have often been observed 

in the burning matter issuing from the interior of the earth ; in 

many places the lava is pierced by deep caverns, and entire 

mountains — especially that of Volcano — have so many hollows in 

the rocks on their sides that every step of the climber resounds 

on them as if in a vault. Besides, the lava itself, being a kind of 

impure glass, is so pervaded by bubbles filled with volatile matter 

that, when acted upon by fire, so as to expel the water and the 

gas, it loses on an average, according to Fouque, two thirds of its 

weight. 

MIXTURE OF LAVA AND VAPOR. 

But these caverns, these hollows and bubbles, proceed from 
the mixture of the lava with vapor which is liberated with 
difficulty from the viscous mass, or are caused by the longitudinal 
rupture of the strata during an eruption, and can in no way be 
compared to the immense blister-like elevation which would be 
formed by the strata of a whole district being tilted up to a 
height of hundreds, or even thousands, of yards, leaving at 
the summit, between two lines of fracture, room for an immense 
cavity. 

None of these prodigious upheavels have been directly 
observed by geologists, and none of the legends invented by the 
fears of our ancestors, referring to the sudden appearance of vol- 
canic mountains, which have been since confirmed. Lastly, the very 
structure of the peaks which are said to have risen abruptly from 
the midst of the plains testifies to the gradual accumulation of 
material that has issued from the bowels of the earth. It is, there- 
fore, prudent to dismiss definitely an hypothesis which marks 



470 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

an important period in the history of geology, but which, for the 
future, can only serve to retard the progress of science. 

As, when the burning matter seeks an outlet, the earth is 
generally cleft open in a straight line, the volcanic orifices are 
frequentl}/ distributed somewhat regularly along a fissure, and 
the heaps of erupted matter follow one another like the peaks in 
a mountain chain. In other places, however, the volcanic cones 
rise without any apparent order on ground that is variously cleft, 
just as if a wide surface had been softened in every direction, and 
had thus allowed the molten matter to make its escape, sometimes 
at one point, sometimes at another. From the town of Naples — 
which is itself built on a half crater in great part obliterated — 
to the Isle of Nisi da, which is an old volcano of regular form, the 
Phlegraean Fields presents a remarkable example of this confu- 
sion of craters. 

LANDSCAPE TURNED TO CHAOS. 

Some are perfectly rounded, others are broken into, and their 
circle is invaded by the waters of the sea ; grouped, for the most 
part, in irregular clumps, even encroaching upon one another 
and blending their walls, they give to the whole landscape a 
chaotic appearance. As Mr. Poulett Scrope very justly remarks, 
the aspect of the terrestrial surface at this spot reminds one exactly 
of the volcanic districts of the moon, dotted over, as it is, with 
craters. 

As the type of a region pierced all over with volcanic orifices, 
we may also mention the Ishthmus of Auckland, in New Zealand, 
which Dr. Hockstetter has reckoned, in an area of 230 square 
miles, sixty-one independent volcanoes, 520 to 650 feet in height 
on the average. Some are mere cones of tufa; others are heaps 
of scoriae, or even eruptive hillocks, which have shed out round 
them long flows of lava. At one time the Maori chiefs used to 
intrench themselves in these craters as if in citadels ; they 
escarped the outer slopes in terraces, and furnished them with 
palisades. At the present day, the English colonists, having 
become lords of the soilj have constructed their farms and country 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 471 

houses on these ancient volcanoes, and are constantly bringing 
the soil under cultivation. 

The Safa, in the Djebel-Hauran, is also a complete chaos of 
hillocks and abysses. On this plateau of 460 square miles, which 
the Arabs call a " portion of hell," almost all the craters open 
on the surface of the ground, and not on the summits of volca- 
noes scattered here and there on the black surface. In every 
direction there may be seen rounded cavities like the vacuities 
formed in scoriae by bubbles of gas, only these cavities are 600 to 
900 feet wide, and 65 to 160 deep. Some are isolated ; some 
either touch or are separated by nothing but narrow walls like 
masses of red or darkish-colored glass. One hardly cares to ven- 
ture on these narrow isthmuse2, bordered by precipices, and inter- 
sected here and there by fissures. 

ALWAYS SLOPING IN FORM. 

The normal form of the volcanoes in which the work of erup- 
tion takes place is that of a slope of debris arranged in a circular 
form round the outlet. Whether the volcano be a mere cone of 
ashes dr mud only a few yards high, or rise into the regions of the 
clouds, vomiting streams of lava over an extent of ten or twenty 
miles, it none the less adheres to the regular form so long as the 
eruptive action is maintained in the same channel, and the debris 
thrown out falls equally on the external slopes. 

The beauty of the cone is increased by that of the crater. 
The terminal orifice from which the lava boils out well deserves, 
from the purity of its outline, its Greek name of " cup," and the 
harmony of its curve contrasts most gracefully with the declivity 
of the slope. In some volcanoes the symmetry of the architectural 
lines is so complete that the crater itself contains a cone placed 
exactly in the centre of the cavity, and pierced by a second crater 
in miniature, from which the vapor makes its escape. 

Volcanoes in which the eruptive action frequently changes its 
position — and these are the more numerous class — do not possess 
this elegance of outline. Very often the upheaved lava finds some 
weak place in the walls of the crater ; it hollows them out at first, 



472 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

and then, bringing all its weight to bear on the rocks which oppose 
its passage, it ultimately completely breaks down the edge of the 
crater, leaving perhaps only one side standing. Among the 
European volcanoes, Vesuvius is the best example of these rup- 
tured craters : before A. D. 79, the escarpments of La Somma, 
which now surround with their semicircular rampart the terminal 
cone of Vesuvius, were the real crater. The portion of it which 
no longer exists disappeared, and buried under its debris the towns 
of Herculaneum and Pompeii. 

INCREASING DIMENSIONS. 

Active volcanoes, however, never cease to increase in all their 
dimensions, and sooner or later the breach is ultimately repaired ; 
the remains of the former craters are gradually hidden under the 
growing slopes of the central cone. Thus a former crater on 
Etna, which was situated at a point three miles in a straight line 
from the present outlet, at the commencement of the Val del Bove, 
has been gradually obliterated by the lava of successive eruptions ; 
prolonged explorations on the part of MM. Seyell and Walters- 
hausen have been necessary in order to find it out. The normal 
form of Etna is that of a cone of debris placed upon a large dome 
with long slopes, becoming more and more gentle, and descending 
gracefully toward the sea. 

In fact, in most of the eruptions, the lava does not rise as far 
as the great crater, and breaks through the sides of the volcano 
so as to flow laterally over the flanks of Etna. These eruptions, 
succeeding one another in the course of centuries, bring about the 
necessary result of gradually enlarging the dome which consti- 
tutes the mass of the mountain, thus breaking the uniformity of 
the lateral talus. The same thing occurs with regard to Vesuvius 
on the side which faces the seacoast. There, the terminal cone 
stands on a kind of dome, which has been gradually formed by the 
coats of lava running one over the other. If Vesuvius continues to 
be the great volcanic outlet of Italy, and rises gradually into the 
sky by the superposition of lava and ashes, it cannot fail, some time 
or other, to assume a form similar to that of the Sicilian giant. 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 473 

The volcanoes which present cones of almost perfect regu- 
larity are those which have their terminal outlet alone in a state 
of activity, and vomit out a large quantity of ashes or other 
matter which glides readily over the slopes. Among this class of 
mountains, those which attain any considerable elevation are 
distinguished by their majesty from all other peaks. Stromboli, 
although it is not more than 2600 feet in height, is one of the 
wonders of the Mediterranean. From its proud form, it will 
readily be understood that its roots plunge down into the sea to 
an enormous depth ; the slope of debris may be seen, so to speak, 
prolonged under the water down to the abysses of 3000 to 4000 
feet, which the sounding-line has reached at the bottom of the 
^olian Sea. 

At sight of it one feels as if suspended in the midst of the 
void, as if the ship was sailing in the air midway up the mountain. 
This feeling of admiration mingled with dread increases when 
this great pharos of the Mediterranean is approached during the 
night over the dark-waved sea. Then the sky above the summit 
seems all lighted up by the reflection of the lava, and a misty 
band of vapor may be dimly seen girdling round the body of the 
volcano. In the daytime the impression made is of a different 
character ; but it is none the less deep, for the real grandeur of 
Stromboli consists not so much in the immensity of the mass as 
in the harmony of its proportions. 

SACRED MOUNTAINS. 

Volcanic mountains of an ideal form are those which infant 
, nations have most adored. Among these sacred mountains are 
the sublime Cotopaxi of the Andes, Orizaba of Mexico, Mauna- 
Loa of Hawaii, and Fusi-Yama of Japan. The volcanoes of Java, 
and chiefly those in the eastern portion of the island, also present 
a very majestic appearance on account of their isolation. 

Those on the western side are based upon an undulating 
plateau, which causes them to lose their appearance of height; 
but on the east all the volcanic mountains rise up from verdant 
plains like islands above the waves of the sea, and command the 



474 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 



horizon far and wide with their enormous cones. Between the 
Merapi and Lavoe mountains lies a depression, the highest ledge 
of which. exceeds the level of the sea by only 312 feet. Between 
Lavoe and Villis the plain is 230 feet in height. Lastly, the 
plains which separate the Villis and Keloeet mountains nowhere 
attain an elevation of more than 200 feet above the ocean. 

In the external details of their conformation many of the vol- 





A REMARKABLE VOLCANO CRATER, ISLE OF JAVA. 

canoes of Java present a regularity of outline which is all the 
more striking, since they owe it in great part to the monsoon 
rains, the most destructive agents of the tropical regions. In 
beating against the mountains, the clouds let fall their burden of 
moisture on the slopes composed of ashes and loose scoriae. The 
latter offer but a slight resistance to the action of the temporary 
torrents which carry them away, and, crumbling down into the 



CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 475 

plains which surround the base of the volcano, are deposited in 
long slopes, like those caused by avalanches. 

In consequence of the fall of all this debris, the sides of the 
mountain are cut out at intervals by ravines or furrows, which 
gradually widen from the summit to the base of the mountains, 
and attain a depth of 200, 600, and 660 feet. There are some 
volcanoes, such as the Sumbing, in which these ravines assume 
so perfect a regularity that the whole mountain, with its equi- 
distant furrows and its intermediate walls, resembles a gigantic 
edifice based upon enormous buttresses, like the nave of a Gothic 

cathedral. 

BEAUTIFUL ISLAND. 

Formerly the beauty of the island and the fury of its vol- 
canoes were the cause of its being altogether dedicated to Siva, 
the god of destruction ; and in the very craters of the burning 
mountains the worshipers of Terror and Death were in the habit 
of building their temples. In many spots the ruins of these sanc- 
tuaries are discovered in the midst of trees and thickets, which 
the Arab conquerors have left to grow in the formidable cavities 
of the volcanoes. Sernerce, the loftiest peak in the island, was 
the sacred mountain par excellence ; the Sumbing, which rises in 
the centre of the island, was the "nail which fastens Java to the 
earth." 

Even in our own time some faithful followers of Siva inhabit 
a sandy plain, more than four miles wide, which was once the 
crater of the Tengger volcano ; every year they proceed solemnly 
to pour rice on the summit of an eruptive cone, into the roaring 
mouth of the monster. In like manner, in New Zealand, the ever- 
smoking orifice of Tongariro was considered as the only place 
■worthy of receiving the dead bodies of their great chiefs : when 
cast into the crater, the heroes went to sleep among the gods. 

But the volcanic divinities, like most of the other rulers in- 
voked by . nations, did not content themselves with the fruits Oi 
the earth or the companionship of a few warriors ; they also de- 
manded blood, both by their subterranean roarings, by their 
thundering eruptions, and their devastating rivers of lava. In- 



476 CRATERS BELCHING TORRENTS OF STEAM. 

numerable sacrifices have been offered to volcanoes to appease 
their anger : impelled by a mingled feeling of fear and ferocity, 
the priests of not a few religions have cast victims with great 
pomp into the gaping hollows of these immense furnaces. 

Scarcely three centuries ago, when the disciples of Christi- 
anity were exterminated over the whole length and breadth of 
Japan, the followers of the new religion were thrown by hundreds 
into one of the craters of the Unsen, one of the most beautiful 
volcanoes of the archipelago ; but this offering to the offended 
gods did not appease their anger, for, toward the end of the 
eighteenth century, this very same mountain and the neighboring 
summits caused by their eruptions one of the most frightful 
disasters of any that are mentioned in the history of volcanoes. 

Actuated by a feeling of dread very similar to that exhibited 
by the Japanese priests, the Christian missionaries in America 
recognized in the burning mountains of the New World not the 
work of a god, but that of the devil, and went in procession to the 
edge of the craters to exorcise them. A legend tells how the 
monks of Nicaragua climbed the terrible volcano of Momotombo 
in order to quiet it by their conjurations ; but they never returned ; 
the monster swallowed them up. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

Various Kinds of Lava. — Beautiful Cave in Scotland. — 
Crevices in Volcanoes. — Snow Under Burning Dust. 

AVA is the most important product of the volcanic fires. The 
*— ' various kinds of lava differ very much in their external 
appearance, in the color of their substance, and in the variety of 
their crystals, but they are all composed of silicates of alumnia 
or magnesia, combined with protoxide of iron, potash or soda, and 
lime. When the feldspathic minerals predominate, the rock is 
generally of a whitish, grayish or yellowish hue, and receives the 
name of trachyte. When the lava contains an abundance of crys- 
tals of augite, hornblende, or titaniferous iron, it is heavier, of a 
darker color, and often more compact ; it then takes the generic 
formation of basalt. Numerous varieties, diversely designated 
by geologists, belong to this group. 

Of all the lavas, trachyte is the least fluid in its form. In 
many places rocks of this nature have issued from the earth in a 
pasty state, and have accumulated above the orifice in the shape 
of a dome, "Just like a mass of melted wax." In this way were 
formed the great domes of Auvergne, the Puys de Dome and de 
Sarcouy. In this district the flows of trachytic lava are far inferior 
in length to the basaltic cheires ; the most important do not exceed 
four or five miles in length. 

At the present day, eruptions of trachyte are much more rare 
than those of other lavas; so much so, that certain authors class 
all the trachytic rocks among the formations of anterior ages. It 
is, however, ascertained that most of the American volcanoes and 
those of the Sunda Archipelago vomit out lava of this nature ; the 
last eruptions of the ^Eolian Isles, Lipari and Volcano, likewise 
produced only trachyte and pumice-stone. 

This latter substance resembles certain white, yellow, or 
greenish scoria, which issue like a frothy dross from the furnaces 

477 



478 PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 

of our iron-works, and is, like the compact trachyte, of a felds- 
pathic nature. Some mountains are almost entirely composed of 
it ; among others, the Monte Bianco of Iyipari, which, viewed from 
a distance, appears as if covered with snow. Long white flows, 
like avalanches, fill up all its ravines, from the summit of the 
mountain to the shore of the Mediterranean; the slightest move- 
ment caused by the tread of an animal or a gust of wind detaches 
from the surface of the slope hundreds of stones, which bound 
down to the foot of the incline, and are borne away by the waves 
which bathe the base of the mountain. 

In the southern part of the Tyrrhenean Sea, and especially 
in the vicinity of the Lipari (^Eolian) Islands, the water is some- 
times covered with these floating stones, almost like flakes of 
foam. In the Cordilleras the currents of fresh water convey the 
morsels of pumice to considerable distances. The River Amazon 
drifts down large quantities of pumice as far as its mouth, more 
than 3000 miles from the place where it fell into the river. Bates 
says that the Indians, who live too far away from the volcanoes 
even to know of their existence, assert that these stones, floating 
down the river by the side of their canoes, are surely solidified 

foam. 

APPEARANCE OF VARIOUS LAVAS. 

The external appearance of various lavas differs even more 
than their chemical composition. The more or less perfect state 
of fluidity, and the presence in them of a greater or less quantity 
of bubbles of vapor, give a very different texture to rocks which 
are composed of the same elements. Pumice-stone has the 
appearance of sponge; obsidian looks like black glass, and some- 
times it is even semi-transparent. 

It is entirely liquid, and issues from the interior of the earth 
like a stream flowing rapidly over the steeper slopes, and coagu- 
lating slowly in large sheets in the low ground and on the gentle 
inclines whither its own weight has drawn it. The surface of 
obsidian — for instance, that of Teneriffe — shines with a vitreous 
glitter ; the cleavage of the rock is clean and sharp. 

Some less degree of fluidity in the current of lava gives it 



PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 479 

sometimes the appearance of resin ; this is the stone which is 

called pechstein (pitch-stone). When the rock, issuing in a state 

of fusion from the bosom of the mountain, becomes still cooler, it 

contains innumerable perfectly-formed crystals, and only owes its 

fluidity to the particles of vapor in its pores. The external layer 

of the lava is also immediately covered with scoria which float in 

flakes on the fiery stream. These scoria, too, assume a great variety 

of shapes ; some are mammillated, others are exceedingly rough 

and irregular. 

In the Dj ebel-Hauran, near the crater of Abu-Ganim, there is 

an infinity of needles of red lava, about a yard high on the average, 

and bent in various directions toward the surface of the plateau ; 

one might often fancy them flames half beaten down under the 

pressure of the wind. According to M. Wetzstein, these strange 

stone needles proceed from an eruption of flaky lava. In the 

Sandwich Islands, and in the Island of Reunion, certain crystals 

of a ferruginous appearance are grouped at the outlet of the crater 

in herbaceous forms of the most curious and sometimes elegant 

character. 

RESEMBLE HEMP TOW. 

Some of the products of the volcano of Mauna-Iyoa and Kil- 
auea resemble the tow of hemp ! These are the whitish filaments 
which are sometimes carried away by the wind ; the Kanakes used 
to consider them as the hair of Pele, the goddess of fire. 

Among the old basaltic lavas there are some to which the 
name of "basalt" is more specially applied, which present a col- 
umnar disposition with wonderful regularity. These form the 
enormous monuments, much more imposing than those of man, 
which seem as if they had been constructed by giant builders, 
turning their mighty hands to the noble art of architecture, which 
is still practiced, though on a smaller scale, by us their feeble 
descendants. These magnificent colonnades of basalt are every- 
where attributed to giants. 

In Ireland, on the coast of Antrim, the summits of 40,000 
prisms, leveled pretty regularly by the waves of the sea, and 
resembling a vast paved quay, have received the name of the 



480 PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 

Giant's Causeway. In Scotland, the beautiful cave of the Isle of 
Staffa, hollowed out by the action of the waves between two ranges 
of basaltic shafts, is celebrated as the work of Fingal, the demi- 
god. In the Sicilian Sea, the Faraglioni Isles, or Isles of the 
Cyclopes, situated not far from Catania, at the base of Etna, are 
looked upon by tradition as the rocks cast by Polyphemus on the 
ships of Ulysses and his companions. Many of these prisms are 
from ioo to 160 feet high, and are not less than from six to six- 
teen feet in thickness. 

Near Fair Head and the Giant's Causeway some of the shafts 
connected with the perpendicular cliff of the headland are nearly 
400 feet in height. In the Isle of Skye, some of the columns, 
according to M'Culloch's statement, are still higher. On the 
other hand, there are also colonnades in miniature, each shaft of 
which is not more than three quarters of an inch to an inch from 
the summit to the base ; instances of these are found in the basalts 
of the hill of Morven in Scotland. 

BEDS OF LAVA ARRANGED IN COLUMNS. 

Some geologists have thought that basaltic columns could 
not be formed except under the pressure of enormous masses of 
water ; but a comparative study of these rocks in different parts 
of the world has proved that several beds of lava are arranged in 
columns at heights considerably above the level of the sea. In 
this colonnade-like formation of lava there is, however, no phe- 
nomenon which is entirely peculiar to basalt. Trachyte, also, 
sometimes assumes this form, and M. Fouque has discovered a 
magnificent instance of it in the island of Milo, in which there is 
a cliff composed of prismatic shafts 320 feet in height. 

Masses of mud when dried in the sun, the alluvium of rivers, 
beds of clay or tufa, and, in general, all matter which, in conse- 
quence of the loss of its moisture, passes from a pasty to a solid 
state, either in a state of nature or in our manufactories and 
dwellings, likewise assume a columnar structure similar to that 
of the basaltic lava. In fact, the entire mass, when gradually 
losing the moisture which swelled out its substance, can not con- 



PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES 481 

tract so as to shift the position of all its particles toward the 
centre ; certain points remain fixed, and round each of these the 
contraction of a portion of the mass takes place. 

In basalt, in particular, it is the lower layer which assumes the 
columnar structure, for these alone cool gently enough to allow 
the phenomena of contraction to follow the normal course. The 
highest portion of the mass, being deprived, immediately after its 
issue from the earth, of the caloric and the steam which filled its 
pores, is almost immediately transformed into a more or less 
rough and cracked mass. But this very crust protects the rest of 
the lava against any radiation, and serves as a covering to the 
semi-crystalline columns which, by the continual contraction of 
their particles, are slowly separated from the rest of the mass. 

A FOREST OF PRISMS. 

When a section of a bed of basaltic lava has been laid bare by 
the water of a river, the waves of the ocean, or earthquake, the 
rough stones of the top layers may be seen lying, with or without 
any gradual transition, on a forest of prisms, sometimes rudi- 
mentary in their shape, but often no less regular in their shape 
than if they had been carved out by the hand of man. Most are 
of a hexagonal form ; others, which were probably subject to less 
favorable conditions, have four, five or seven faces ; but all are 
definitely separated from one another by their particles gathering 
round the central axis. 

Mr. Poulett Scrope describes a fact which proves the enormous 
power of this contractile force. The colonnade of Burzet in 
Vivarais, contains numerous nodules of olivine, many of which 
are as large as a man's fist : and, in spite of their extreme hard- 
ness, have been divided into two pieces, each fixed in one of two 
adjacent columns. Although the two corresponding surfaces have 
been polished by the infiltration of water, it is impossible to doubt 
that the two separate portions were not once joined in the same 
nodule. 

As natural philosophers have verified by experiments on 

various viscous substances, basaltic shafts are always formed per- 
31-MAR 



482 PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 

pendicularly to the surface of refrigeration. Now, this surface 
being-inclined, according to the locality, in a diversity of ways, 
the result is, that the columns may assume a great variety of 
directions in their position. Although most of them are vertical, 
on account of the cooling taking place in an upward direction, 
others, as at St. Helena, take a horizontal direction, and resemble 
trunks of trees heaped upon a wood-pile. 

In other places, as at the Coupe d'Ayzac in Auvergne, the 
columns of a denuded cliff are arranged in the form of a fan, so 
as to lean regularly on the wall of the cliff as well as on the 
ground of the valley. At Samoskce, in Hungary, a sheet of 
columnar basalt, very small at its origin, spreads out from the 
top of a rock like the water of a cascade, and hangs suspended 
over a precipice, resembling a cupola which has lost its base. 
Elsewhere masses of basaltic pillars radiate in every direction like 
the weapons in an immense trophy of arms. 

LIKE GIGANTIC BAMBOOS. 

An exact prismatic form, is not, however, the only shape 
assumed by the cooling lava. The phenomenon of contraction 
takes place in different ways, according to the nature of the 
erupted matter, the declivity of the slopes, and all the other sur- 
rounding circumstances. Thus, in consequence of the sinking of 
the rock, most basaltic prisms exhibit at intervals a kind of joint, 
which gives the columns a kind of resemblance to gigantic bam- 
boos. In some lavas these joints are so numerous, and the edges 
of the stone are so eaten away by the weather, that the shafts are 
converted into piles of spheroids of a more or less regular form. 

At the volcano of Bertrich, in the Bifel, one might fancy 
them a heap of cheeses ; whence comes the name of " Cheese 
Cave," which is given to one of the caverns which opens in the 
flow of the lava. Sometimes, too, crystals scattered about in the 
midst of the mass have served as nuclei to globular concretions 
formed of numerous concentric layers. Lastly, many currents of 
molten matter present a tabular or schistose structure, caused, 
like that of slate, by the pressure of the superincumbent masses. 



PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 483 

Although lava, when cooled, is easy enough to study, it is 
more difficult to observe with any exactitude the molten matter 
immediately on its exit from the craters or fissures ; besides this, 
the opportunities for study which are afforded to savants are 
sometimes very dangerous. Long years often elapse before an 
enquirer can notice at his ease, and without fear of sudden explo- 
sions, the mouths of iEtna or Vesuvius filling up to the brink 
with boiling lava. 

Stromboli is the only volcano in Europe in which this 
phenomenon occurs regularly at closely-recurring intervals, some- 
times of only five minutes, or even more frequently. When an 
observer stands on the highest edge of the crater, he sees, about 
300 feet below him, the waves of a matter which shines like molten 
iron, and tosses and boils up incessantly ; sometimes it swells up 
like an enormous blister, which suddenly bursts, darting forth 
eddies of vapor accompanied by solid fragments. 

HAS BOILED FOR CENTURIES. 

For centuries past the lava has never ceased to boil in the 
cavity of Stromboli, and it is but very rarely that a period of even 
a few hours lapses without molten matter overflowing. Thus the 
crater, which, during the day, is white with steam, and during the 
night red with the glare of the lava, has served as a light-house 
for mariners ever since the first vessel ventured upon the 
Tyrrhenian Sea. 

In Nicaragua, to the north of the Great Lake, the volcano of 
Masaya (or " Devil's Mouth ") presents a spectacle similar to that 
of Stromboli, but grander, and perhaps still more regular. After 
having remained in a state of repose for nearly two centuries, from 
1670 to 1853, the monster — which has received the name it bears 
from the frightful turbulence of its burning waves — resumed all 
its former activity. In this crater the enormous bubbles of lava, 
which ascend from the bottom of the abyss and throw out a shower 
of burning stones, break forth in a general way every quarter of 
an hour. 

The volcano of Isalco, not far from Sonsonate, in the State of 



484 PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 

San Salvador, is also one of the most curious on account of its 
regularity. Its first breaking out was noticed on the 29th of March, 
1783, and since this date it has almost always continued to increase 
in size by throwing outside its cavity ashes and stones. Some of 
its eruptions, remarkable for their comparative violence, have been 
accompanied by flows of lava ; but, generally, the crater of Isalco 
confines itself to hurling burning matter to a height of 39 to 46 
feet above its crater ; explosions follow one another at intervals of 
every two minutes. The total elevation of the cone of debris above 
the village of Isalco being 735 feet, and the slope of the side of 
the mass being, on the average, 35 degrees, M. von Seebach, one 
of the observers of the volcano, has been able to calculate approxi- 
mately the bulk and regular increase of the mountain. In 1865 
the mass of debris was about 35,000,000 of cubic yards, giving an 
increase of about 491,000 cubic yards every year, or 56 cubic yards 
every hour. The volcano, therefore, might be looked upon as a 
gigantic hour-glass. 

WORLD-RENOWNED CRATER. 

Of all the craters in the world, the one which most astonishes 
those who contemplate it is the crater of Kilauea, in the island of 
Hawaii. This volcanic outlet opens at more than 3900 feet of 
elevation on the sides of the great mountain of Mauna-Loa, which 
is itself crowned by a magnificent funnel-shaped crater 2735 yards 
across from one brink to the other. The elliptical crater of Kilauea 
is no less than three miles in length and seven miles in circumfer- 
ence. The hollow of this abyss is filled by a lake of lava, the 
level of which varies from year to year, sometimes rising and 
sometimes falling like water in a well. 

In a general way, it lies about 600 to 900 feet below the outer 
edge, and, in order to study its details, it is necessary to get on 
to a ledge of black lava which extends round the whole circum- 
ference of the gulf; this is the solidified edge of a former sheet 
of molten matter, similar to those circular benches of ice which, 
in northern countries, border the banks of a lake, and even in 
spring still mark the level the water has sunk from. The surface 



PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 485 

of the sea of fire is generally covered by a thick crust over its 
whole extent ; here and there the red lava-waves spring up like the 
water of a lake through the broken ice. Jets of vapor whistle 
and hiss as they escape, darting out showers of burning scoria, 
and forming cones of ashes on the crust 60 to 100 feet in height, 
which are so many volcanoes in miniature. 

Intense heat radiates from the immense crater, and a kind of 
hot blast makes its way through all the chinks in the vertical 
walls of the sides. In the midst of the hot vapors, one feels as 
if lost in a vast furnace. During the night time an observer 
might fancy himself surrounded with flames ; the atmosphere 
itself, colored by the red reflection of the vent holes of the volcano, 
seems to be all on fire. 

RUSHES THROUGH THE OPENING. 

The level or the fire lake of Kilauea is incessantly changing. 
In proportion as fresh lava issues forth from the subterranean 
furnace, the broken crust affords an outlet to other sheets of 
molten matter and fresh heaps of scoria, and gradually the boil- 
ing mass rises from ledge to ledge, and ultimately reaches the 
upper edge of the basin. Sooner or later, however, the level 
rapidly sinks. The fact is, that the burning mass contained in 
the depths of the abyss gradually melts the lower walls of solid 
lava ; these walls ultimately give way at some weak points in 
their circumference, a crevice is produced in the outer face of the 
volcano, and the liquid matter, " drawn off'' like wine from a vat, 
rushes through the opening made for it. 

The flow increases the orifice by the action of its weight on 
the sill of the opening, and by melting the rocks which oppose its 
passage, and then, running down over the slopes, flows into the 
sea, forming promontories on the shore. In 1840 the crater was 
full to the brink, when a crack suddenly opened in the side of the 
mountain. This fissure extended to a distance of 131 feet from 
its starting-point, and vomited forth a stream of lava 37 miles 
long and 16 miles wide, which entirely altered the outline of the 
sea-coast, and destroyed all the fish in the adjacent waters. Mr. 



486 PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 

Dana estimated the total mass of this enormous flow as equal to 
7,200,000 cubic yards — that is, to a solid body fifty times as great 
as the quantity of earth dug out in cutting through the Isthmus 
of Suez. 

The enormous basin of Kilauea, 1476 feet deep, remained 
entirely empty for some time, and the former lake of lava left no 
other trace of its existence than a solid ledge like those which 
had been formed at the time of previous eruptions. Since this 
date the great cauldron of lava has been several times filled and 
several times emptied, either altogether or in part. 

OUTLET FOR OVERFLOW. 

Almost all the volcanoes which rise to a great height, 
get rid, like Kilauea, of their overflow of lava through fissures 
which open in their side walls. In fact, the column of molten 
matter which the pressure of the gas beneath raises in the 
pipe of the crater is of an enormous weight, and every inch 
it ascends toward the mouth of the crater represents an expense of 
force which seems prodigious. The more or less hypothetical 
calculations which have been made as to the degree of pressure 
necessary for the steam to be able to act on the lava-furnace lead 
to the belief that the outlet-conduits of volcanoes, and conse- 
quently the mass of liquid stone to be lifted, are not less than 
nine miles in depth. Various geologists — among others Sartorius 
von Waltershansen, the great explorer of Etna — believe that the 
volcano-shafts are of a still more considerable depth. The rocks 
of the terrestrial surface, limestone, granite, quartz, or mica, are 
of a specific gravity two and a half times superior to that of water, 
while the planet itself, taken as a whole, weighs nearly five and a 
half times as much as the same mass of distilled water; the density 
of the interior layers must therefore increase from the circum- 
ference to the center. With regard to the proportion of this 
increase, it is established by a calculation, the whole responsi- 
bility of which must rest upon its authors. Baron Waltershansen 
has ascertained, by means of a great number of weighings, that the 
lava of Etna and that of Iceland have a specific gravity of 2. 911. 



PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 487 

The presumed consequence of this fact is that the rock's 
thrown out by the volcanoes of Sicily and Iceland proceed from a 
depth of seventy-seven to seventy-eight miles (?). Thus the shaft 
which opens at the bottom of the crater of Etna would be no less than 
seventy-seven miles deep, and the lava which boils in this abyss 
would be lifted by a force of 36,000 atmospheres, an idea altogether 
incomprehensible by our feeble imaginations. There would, then, be 
nothing astonishing in the fact that a mass of lava, which is 
sufficiently heavy to balance a pressure of this kind, should, in a 
great many eruptions, melt and break through the weaker parts of 
its walls, instead of ascending some hundreds or thousands of 
feet higher, so as to run out over the edge of the upper crater. 

When the side of the mountain opens, and affords a passage 
to the lava, the fissure is always perceptibly vertical, and those 
which are continued to the summit pass through the very mouth 
of the volcano. In a general way, these fissures of eruption are 
of considerable length, and are sufficiently wide to form an impass- 
able precipice. Before these fissures become obliterated by the lava 
or by other debris — such as the snow and earth of avalanches — 
they may be traced out by the eye as deep furrows hollowed out 
on the mountain side. 

DEPRESSIONS FILLED WITH SNOW. 

In 1669 the lateral fissure of JEtna. extended over more than 
two-thirds of the southern side — from the plains of Nicolosi to the 
terminal gulf of the great crater. In like manner, in the Isle of 
Jan Mayen, the volcano of Beerenberg, 7514 feet high, presents 
from top to bottom a long depression filled up with snow, which is 
nothing else than a fissure of eruption. On other mountains, 
especially in Moutserrat, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, these fissures 
have assumed such dimensions that the peaks themselves have 
been completely split in two. 

Through outlets of this kind the lava jets out, first making 
its appearance at the upper part, where the declivity is generally 
steeper, then springing out below on the more gentle slopes of the 
lower regions of the mountain. 



488 PRODUCTS OF "VOLCANOES. 

At the source itself the lava is altogether fluid, and flows with 
considerable speed — sometimes, on steep slopes, faster than a 
horse can gallop; but the course of the molten stone soon slackens, 
and the liquid, hitherto dazzling with its light, is covered by 
brown or red scoria, like those of iron just come out of a 
furnace. These scoria come together, and, combining, soon 
leave no interstices between them beyond narrow vent-holes, 
through which the molten matter escapes. The scoria then form 
a crust, which is incessantly breaking with a metallic noise, but 
gradually consolidates into a perfect tunnel round the river of 
fire ; this is the cheire, thus named on account of the asperities 
which bristle on its surface. 

STANDING ON A THIN SURFACE. 

Any one may safely venture on the arch-shaped crust, although 
only a few inches above the mass in state of fusion, without any 
fear of being burnt, just as in winter we trust ourselves ou the 
sheets of ice which cover a running stream. The pressure of the 
lava succeeds iu breaking through its shell only at the lower 
parts of its flow, in spots where the waves of burning stone fall 
with all their weight. Then the envelope is suddenly ruptured 
and the mass springs out like water from a sluice, pushing before 
it the resounding scoria, and swelling out gently in the form of 
an enormous blister ; it then again becomes covered with a solid 
crust, which is again broken through by a fresh effort of the 
lava. 

Thus the river, surrounding itself with dikes, which it con- 
stantly breaks through, gradually descends over the slopes, terrible 
and inexorable, so long as the original stream does not cease to 
flow. The onty means of diverting the current is to modify the 
incline in front of it, either by opposing obstacles to it to throw it 
to either side, or by preparing a road for it by digging deep 
trenches, or by opening up above some lateral outlet for the 
pent-up lava. In 1669, at the time of the great eruption which 
threatened to swallow up Catania, all these various means were 
adopted in order to save the town. On one side fhc inhabitants 



PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 489 

worked at consolidating the rampart, and placed obstacles across 
the path of the current to turn it toward the south. 

Other workmen, furnished with shovels and mattocks, ascended 
along the edge of the flow, and, in spite of the resistance offered 
by the peasants, tried to pierce throuh the shell of scoria, and thus, 
by tapping the stream, to open fresh outlets for the molten matter. 
These means of defense partly succeeded, and the terrible current 
which, at its source near Nicolosi, had been able to melt and pierce 
through the volcanic cone of Monpilieri at its thickest point 
(this cone standing in its path) was turned from its course 
toward the centre of Catania, and destroyed nothing but the 
suburbs. 

The radiation from the lava being arrested by the crust of 
scoria, which is a very bad conductor of heat, the temperature of the 
air surrounding a flow of lava rises but very slightly. The Neapolitan 
guides have no fear in approaching the Vesuvian lava in order to 
stamp the rough medals made of it, which they sell to foreigners. 
At a distance of a few yards from the vent-holes in the cheire the 
trees of Etna continue to grow and blossom, and some clumps, 
indeed, may be seen flourishing on an islet of vegetable earth lying 
between two branches of a flow of burning lava. And yet, by a 
contrast which at first sight seems incomprehensible, it sometimes 
happens that trees which are distant from any visible flow of 
molten matter suddenly wither and die. 

VINEYARDS BLIGHTED. 

Thus, in 1852, at the time of the great eruption from the 
Val del Bove, on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna, vineyards 
and vines, covering a considerable area, and situated at a distance 
of more than half a mile below the front of the flow, were sud- 
denly dried up, just as if the blast of a fire had burnt up their 
foliage. In order to explain this curious phenomena, it is neces- 
sary to admit that some rivulets of the great lava river must have 
penetrated under the earth through the fissures of the soil, and 
have filled up a subterranean cavity in the mountain exactly 
below the vineyards that were destroyed ; the roots being con- 



490 PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 

sumed, or deprived of the necessary moisture, the trees them- 
selves could not do otherwise than perish. 

On lofty mountains in a state of eruption, the masses of 
snow and ice, which are covered by the fiery currents which issue 
from the volcanic fissures, do not always melt, and some have been 
preserved under the scoria for centuries, or even thousands of 
years. Lyell has discovered them under the lava of Etna, 
American geologists under the masses thrown out by the crater of 
Mount Hooker, Darwin under the ashes in Deception Island, in 
the Terra del Fuego, M. Philippi under the flows of the volcano 
Nuevo de Chilian, which in 1861 erupted through a glacier. 

There every bed of snow which falls during the winter 

remains perfect under the coat of burning dust which is ejected 

from the outlet of eruption, and sections made through the mass 

of debris show for a great depth the alternate black and white 

strata of the volcanic ashes and the snow. In i860 the crater of 

the mountain of Kutlagaya, in Iceland, hurled out simultaneously 

into the air lumps of lava and pieces of ice all intermingled 

together. 

BURIED LAVA STILL BURNING. 

In like manner, the immense flows of lava in Iceland have 
left in a perfect state of preservatiou the trunks of the Sequoias, 
and other American trees, which adorned the surface of the island 
during the ages of the Tertiary epoch, at a time when the mean 
temperature of this country was 48 (Fahr.); that is, 42 to 44 
above that which it is at present. Although the radiation from 
the lava is so slight that it neither melts the ice nor burns the 
trunks of buried trees, yet, on the other hand, the heat and fluidity 
of the lava are maintained in the central part of the flow for a 
very considerable number of years. Travelers state that they 
have found deeply buried lava which was still burning after it had 
remained for a century on the mountain side. 

Although the lava covers up and often preserves the snow 
and the ice, which are doubtless defended against the heat by a 
cushion of spheroidal particles of humidity, it immediately con- 
verts into steam the water with which it comes in contact. The 



PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES. 491 

liquid mass, being suddenly augmented to about 1800 times its 

former volume, explodes like an enormous bombshell, and hurls 

away, like projectiles, all the objects which surround it. A serious 

occurrence of this kind is recorded, which took place in 1843, a 

few days after the formation of a fissure in Mount Ktna, from 

which a current of molten matter issued, making its way toward 

the plain of Bronte. 

A crowd of spectators, who had come from the town, were 

examining from a distance the threatening mass, the peasants 

were cutttng down the trees in the fields, others were carrying off 

in haste the goods from their cottages, when suddenly the 

extremity of the flow was seen to swell up like an enormous 

blister, and then to burst, darting forth in every direction clouds 

of steam and volleys of burning stones. Everything was 

destroyed by this terrible explosion — trees, houses and cultivated 

ground ; and it is said that sixty-nine persons, who were knocked 

down by the concussion, perished immediately, or in the space of 

a few hours. 

LIKE GUNPOWDER. 

This disaster was occasioned by the negligence of an agri- 
culturist, who had not emptied the reservoir on his farm ; the 
water, being suddenly converted into steam, had caused the lava 
to explode with all the force of gunpowder. 

The quantity of molten matter which is ejected by a fissure 
in one single eruption is enormous. It is known that the current 
of Kilauea, in 1840, exceeded 6550 millions of cubic yards. That 
which proceeded from Mauna-Loa, in 1835, produced a still larger 
quantity of lava, and extended as far as a point seventy-six miles 
from the crater. Flows of this kind are certainly rare ; but there 
are some recorded in the earth's history which are still more con- 
siderable. Thus the volcano of Skaptar-Jokul, in Iceland, was 
cleft asunder in 1873, and gave vent to two rivers of fire, each of 
which filled up a valley ; one attained a length of fifty miles, 
with a breadth of fifteen miles ; the other was of less dimensions, 
but the depth of the mass was in some places as much as 492 
feet. A subterranean fissure, ninety-nine miles in length, which 



492 PRODUCTS OF VOLCANOES 

cleaves in two the ground of Iceland, was doubtless filled up with 
lava along its entire length, for hillocks of eruption sprung up 
on various points of this straight line. , 

It has been calculated that the whole of the lava evacuated 
by the Skaptar in this great eruption was not less in bulk than 
655,000 millions of cubic yards, a mass equivalent to the whole 
volume of Mont Blanc ; it would be a quantity sufficient to cover 
the whole earth with a film of lava 0.0393 inch in thickness. As 
to the celebrated flow from the Monti Rossi, which threatened to 
destroy Catania, in 1669, it seems very trifling in comparison ; it 
contained a mass of molten stone which was estimated at 13 10 
millions of cubic yards. On how trifling a scale, therefore, are 
these ordinary eruptions compared with the surface of the globe ! 
They are, however, phenomena perceptible enough to man, in all 
his infinite littleness. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

Volcanic Projectiles. — Explosions of Ashes. — -Subordinate 
Volcanoes. — Mountains Reduced to Dust. — Flashes 
and Flames Proceeding from Volcanoes. 

THE lava swelling up in enormous blisters above the fissures 
from which it flows in a current over the slopes is far from 
being the only substance ejected from volcanic mountains. When 
the pent-up vapor escapes from the crater with a sudden explo- 
sion, it carries with it lumps of molten matter, which describe their 
curve in the air, and fall at a greater or less distance on the slope 
of the cone, according to the force with which they were ejected. 

These are the volcanic projectiles, the immense showers of 
which, traced in lines of fire on the dark sky, contribute so much 
during the night time to the magnificent beauty of volcanic erup- 
tions. These projectiles have already become partially cooled by 
their radiation in the air, and when they fall are already solidified 
on the outside, but the inside nucleus remains for a long time 
in a liquid or pasty state. The form of these projectiles is often 
of an almost perfect regularity. 

Each sphere is in this case composed of a series of concentric 
envelopes, which have evidently been arranged in the order of their 
specific gravity during the flight of the projectile through the air. 
The dimensions of these projectiles vary in each eruption ; some 
of them are one or more yards in thickness ; others are nothing 
but mere grains of sand, and are carried by the wind to great 
distances. 

In most eruptions, these balls of lava, still in a fluid and 
burning state, constitute but a small part of the matter thrown 
out by the mountain. The largest proportion of the stone ejected 
proceeds from the walls of the volcano itself, which break up under 
the pressure of the gas, and fly off in volleys, mingled with the 
products of the new eruption. This is the origin of the dust or 

493 



494 VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 

ashes which some craters vomit out in such large quantities, which 
too, are the causes of such terrible disasters. 

When the impetus of the gas confines itself to forming a 
fissure in the side of the mountain, the fragments of rocks which 
are broken up and reduced to powder are compratively small in 
quantity. They are projected in clouds out of the fissure, and, 
falling like hail round the orifice, are gradually heaped up in the 
form of a cone on the side of the mountain from which they arose. 
In Europe, the enormous circumference of Btna presents more 
than 700 of these subordinate volcanoes, some scarcely higher than 
an Esquimaux hut, and others, like the Monti Rossi, Monte 
Minardo, Monte Ilici, several hundred yards high, and more than 
half a mile wide at the base. 

SCANTY GROWTH OF BROOM. 

There are some which are entirely sterile, or covered only by 
a scanty vegetation of broom, and are marked out by a red, yellow, 
or even black color on the main body of Etna ; those situated on 
the lower slopes are covered with trees or planted with vines, and 
sometimes contain admirable crops in the very cavity on their sum- 
mit. These cones of ashes, springing up like a progeny on the 
\a.st sides of their mother mountain, give to Etna a singular 
appearance of vital personality and of creative energy. The same 
phenomenon occurs on the volcanoes of Hawaii, which carry on 
their declivities thousands of subordinate cones. 

In the formation of these hillocks a real division of labor takes 
place. The rocks and heavier stones fall either on the edge of the 
crater or in the gulf itself. The ashes aud light dust are shot up 
to a much greater height, and, hurried along by the impulse of 
the wind, fall far and wide, like the chaff of corn winnowed in a 
threshing-floor. Thus the slope of the cone toward which the wind 
directs the ashes is always more elongated, and rises to a greater 
height on the edge of the crater. On Etna, where the wind gen- 
erally blows in the direction of west to east, the eastern slope of 
the hillocks is more developed than on the opposite side. It must, 
perhaps, be attributed to the action of the wind blowing on the 



VOLCAinIC PROJECTILES. 495 

heights, and not, as Siemsen, the geologist, supposes, to the obli- 
quity of the shaft of the crater, that all the scoria and ashes fall 
to the north of the orifice of the volcano Nuevo de Chilian, in 
Chili. 

The phenomena which take place when the ashes issue from 
the mouth of the crater itself do not differ from those which are 
observed at the outlets in fissures. In the former case, however, 
the mass of rocks reduced to powder is so considerable that the 
rain of ashes assumes all the proportions of a cataclysm. It has 
sometimes happened that, during a paroxysm of volcanic energy, 
the whole summit of a mountain, for a depth of several thousands 
of feet, has been hurled into the air, mingled with a cloud of vapor 
and the smoke of burning lava. 

Thus Etna, if we are to believe .^Elianus, was once much 
loftier than it is in our time, and on the north of the present 
terminal cone there may, in fact, be noticed a kind of platform 
which seems to have been the base of a summit twice as high as 
the present crest. The whole of the Val del Bove is probably an 
empty space left by the disappearance of a former cone. 

REDUCED TO POWDER. 

With regard to Vesuvius, it is known that, in the year 79 of 
the present era, the whole of that part of the mountain which was 
turned toward the sea was reduced to powder, and that the debris 
of the cone, nothing of which now remains except the semicircular 
inclosure of La Somma, buried three towns and a vast extent of 
plain. The ashes and dust, mingled with white vapor rising in 
thick eddies, ascended in a column to a point far above the summit 
of the volcano, until, having reached those regions of the atmos- 
phere where the rarefied air could no longer sustain them, they 
spread out into a wide umbrella-like shape, the falling dust of 
which obscured the sky. 

Pliny the younger compared this vault of ashes and smoke to 
the foliage of an Italian pine curving at an immense height over 
the mountain. Since this memorable epoch the height of the 
column of vapor has been measured which has issued from Vesu- 



496 VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 

vius at the time of several great eruptions, and it has been some- 
times found that it reached 23,000 to 26,000 feet ; that is, six times 
higher than the summit of the volcano itself. 

One of these explosions of entire summits which caused most 
terror in modern times was that of the volcano of Coseguina, a 
hillock of about 500 feet high, situated on a promontory to the 
south of the Bay of Fonseca, in Central America. The debris 
hurled into the air spread over the sky in a horrible arch several 
hundreds of miles in width, and covered the plains for a distance 
of 25 miles with a layer of dust at least 16 feet thick. At the 
very foot of the hill the headland advanced 787 feet into the bay, 
and two new islands, formed of ashes and stones falling from the 
volcano, rose in the midst of the water several miles away. 

PUMICE-STONE ON THE WATER. 

Beyond the districts close round the crater, the bed of dust, 
which fell gradually, became thinner, but it was carried by the 
wind more than forty degrees of longitude toward the west, and 
the ships sailing in those waters penetrated with difficulty the 
layer of pumice-stone spread out on the sea. To the north, the 
rain of ashes was remarked at Truxillo, Honduras, and at Chiapas, 
in Mexico ; on the south, it reached Carthagena, Santa Martha, 
and other towns of the coast of Grenada ; to the east, being carried 
b}^ the counter current of the trade-winds, it fell on the plains of 
St. Ann's, in Jamaica, at a distance of 800 miles. The area of 
land and water on which the dust descended must be estimated at 
1,500,000 square miles, and the mass of matter vomited out could 
not be less than 65,500 million cubic yards. 

The uproar of the breaking up of the mountain was heard as 
far as the high plateaux of Bogota, situated 1025 miles away in a 
straight line. While the formidable cloud was settling down 
round the volcano, thick darkness filled the air. For forty-three 
hours nothing could be seen except by the sinister light of the 
flashes darting from the columns of steam, and the red glare of 
the vent holes opening in the mountain. 

To escape from this prolonged night, the rain of ashes, and 



VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 497 

the burning atmosphere, the inhabitants who dwelt at the foot of 
Coseguina fled in all haste along a road running by the black 
water of the Bay of Fonseca. Men, women, children, and domes- 
tic animals travelled painfully along a difficult path, through 
quagmires and marshes. So great, it is said, was the terror of all 
animated beings during this long night of horror, that the ani- 
mals, themselves, such as monkeys, serpents, and birds, joined the 
band of fugitives, as if they recognized in man a being endowed with 
intelligence superior to their own. 

A large number of volcanoes have diminished in height, or 
have, indeed, entirely disappeared, in consequence of explosions, 
which reduced their rocks to powder, and distributed them in thick 
sheets on the ground adjacent. Mount Baker, in California, and 
the Japanese volcano of Unsen, have thus raised the level of the 
surrounding plains at the expense of a diminution in their own 
volume. In 1638, the summit of the peak of Timor, which might 
be seen like a light-house from a distance of 270 miles, exploded, 
and blew up into the air, and the water collecting, formed a lake 
in the enormous void caused by the explosion. 

GREAT DESTRUCTION OF LIFE. 

In 181 5, Timboro, a volcano in the island of Sumbara, de- 
stroyed more men than the artillery of both of the armies engaged 
on the battle-field of Waterloo. In the island of Sumatra, 550 
miles to the west, the terrible explosion was heard, and, for a 
radius of 300 miles round the mountain, a thick cloud of ashes, 
which obscured the sun, made it dark like night even at noonday. 
This immense quantity of debris, the whole mass of which was, it 
is said, equivalent to thrice the bulk of Mont Blanc, fell over an 
area larger than that of Germany. 

The pumice-stone which floated in the sea was more than a 

yard in thickness, and it was with some difficulty that ships could 

make their way through it. The popular imagination was so deeply 

impressed by this cataclysm, that at Bruni, in the island of 

Borneo, whither heaps of the dust vomited out by Timboro, 

870 miles away to the south, had been carried by the wind, they 
32-MAR 



498 VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 

date their years from "the great fall of ashes." It is the com- 
mencement of an era for the inhabitants of Bruni, just as the 
flight of Mohammed was for the Mussulmans. 

The friction of the steam against the innumerable particles 
of solid matter which are darted out into the air is the principal 
cause of the electricity which is developed so plentifully during 
most volcanic eruptions. In consequence of this friction, which 
operates simultaneously at all points in the atmosphere which 
are reached by the volcanic ashes, and vapor, sparks flash out 
which are developed into lightning. The skies are lighted up 
not only by the reflection from the lava, but also by coruscations 
of light which dart from amid the clouds. 

When the vast canopy of vapor spreads over the summit of 
the mountains, numerous spirals of fire whirl round on each side 
of the clouds, which, as they unroll, resemble the foliage of a 
gigantic tree. Doubtless, also, the encounter of two aerial cur- 
rents may contribute to produce lightning in the columns of 
vapor ; yet, when the latter are slightly mingled with ashes, they 
are rarely stormy. 

ACTUAL FIRES SEEN. 

Although the evolution of electricity in the columns of vapor 
and ashes vomited out by volcanoes has never been called in 
question, the appearance of actual flames at the time of volcanic 
eruptions was for a long time disputed. M. Sartorius von Wal- 
tershausen, the patient observer of Etna, has maintained that 
neither this mountain, nor Stromboli, nor any other volcano, has 
ever presented among its phenomena any fire properly so called, 
and that the supposed flames were nothing more than the reflec- 
tion of the red or white lava that was boiling in the crater. 

On the other hand, Elie de Beaumont, Abich and Pilla posi- 
tively assert that they have seen light flames on the summit of 
Vesuvius and Etua. It would, however, be very natural to believe 
that inflammable gases might be liberated and take fire at the 
outlet of those immense shafts which place the great subterra- 
nean laboratory of lava in communication with the outer air. 



VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 499 

This question was, however, resolved in the affirmative at 
the time of the eruption of Santorin, and popular opinion was 
right in opposition to most men of science. All those who were 
able to witness, at its commencement, the upheaval of the lava at 
Cape Georges and Aphroessa, have certified to the appearance of 
burning gas dancing above the lava, and even on the surface of 
the sea. All round the upheaved hillocks, bubbles of gas, break- 
ing forth from the waves, became kindled as they came in contact 
with the burning mass, and were diffused over the water in long 
trains of white, red or greenish names, which the breeze alter- 
nately raised or beat down ; sometimes a smart puff of wind put 
out the fire, but it soon recommenced to run over the breakers ; 
by approaching it carefully, fragments of paper might be burnt 
in it. which lighted as they dropped. On the slopes of the volcano 
of Aphroessa fire, rendered of a yellowish hue by salts of soda, 
sprung out from all the fissures, and rose to a height of several 
yards. On the rather older lava of Cape Georges the trains of 
flame were less numerous ; there, however, bluish glimmers 
might be seen flitting about in some spots over the black ridges 

of lava. 

GROWING MOUNTAINS. 

Added to this, are not the flames at Bakou, on the coast of 
the Caspian Sea, produced by the volcanic action of the ground? 
The " growing mountains" in the neighborhood are mud-vol- 
canoes, and we must doubtless attribute to the same subterranean 
activity the production of the hydrogen gas which burns in an 
"eternal flame " in the temple of the Parsi. During some of the 
evenings in autumn, when the weather is fine and the sun has 
heated the surface of the ground, the flames occasionally make 
their appearance on the hills, and for several hours may be seen 
the marvelous spectacle of a train of fire stretching along the 
country without burning the ground, and even without scorching 
a blade of grass. 

Next to lava and ashes, streams of water and mud are the 
most considerable products of volcanic activity, and the catas- 
trophes which they have caused are perhaps among the most terri- 



500 VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 

ble which, history has to relate. By means of these sudden deluges, 
towns have been swept away or swallowed up, whole districts dotted 
over with habitations have been flooded with mud or converted 
into marshes, and the entire face of nature has been changed in 
the space of a few hours. 

The liquid masses which descend rapidly from the mountain 
height do not always proceed from the volcano itself. Thus the 
local deluge may be caused by a rapid condensation of large quan- 
tities of steam which escape from the crater and fall in torrents on 
the slopes. A phenomenon of this kind must evidently take 
place in a great many cases, and it was doubtless by a cataclysm 
of this kind that the town of Herculaneum, at the foot of 
Vesuvius, was buried. 

MELTED SNOW AND ICE. 

As regards the lofty snow-clad volcanoes of tb° tropical and 
temperate zones, and also those of the frozen regions, the torrents 
of water and debris— the "water-lava," as the Sicilians call them 
— may be explained by the rapid melting of immense masses of 
snow and ice, with which the burning lava, the hot ashes, or the 
gaseous emanations of the volcanic furnace have come in contact. 
Thus, in Iceland, after each eruption, formidable deluges, carry- 
ing with them ice, scoria, and rocks, suddenly rush down into the 
valleys, sweeping away everything in their course. 

These liquid avalanches are the most terrible phenomena 
which the inhabitants of the island have to dread. They show 
three headlands formed of debris, which the body of water descend- 
ing from the sides of Kutlugaya in 1766 threw out far into the sea, 
in a depth of 246 feet of water. 

Other deluges no less formidable are caused by the rupture 
of the walls which pen back a lake in the cavity of a former cra- 
ter, or by the formation of a fissure which affords an outlet to 
liquid masses contained in subterranean reservoirs. It would be 
too difficult to explain otherwise the mud-eruptions of several 
trachytic volcanoes of the Andes— Imbambaru, Cotopaxi, and 
Carahuarizo. In fact, the mud which comes down from these 



VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 50* 

mountains often contains a large quantity of organized beings, 
aquatic plants, infusoria, and even fish, which could only have 
lived in the calm waters of a lake. 

Of this kind is the Pimelodes cyclopum, a little fish of the 
tribe of the Silurida, which according to Humboldt, has hitherto * 
been found nowhere except in the Andini caverns and in the rivu- 
lets of the plateau of Quito. In 1691 the volcano of Imbambaru 
vomited out, in combination with mud and snow, so large a quan- 
tity of these remains of organisms that the air was contaminated 
by them, and miasmatic fevers prevailed in all the country round. 
The masses of water which thus rush down suddenly into the 
plains amount sometimes to millions, or even thousands of 
millions of cubic yards. 

UNDERGROUND LAKES. 

Although, in some cases, these eruptions of mud and water 
may be looked upon as accidental phenomena, they must, on the 
contrary, as regards many volcanoes, be considered as the result 
of the normal action of the subterranean forces. They are, then, 
the waters of the sea or of lakes which, having been buried in the 
earth, again make their appearance on the surface, mingled with 
rocks which they have dissolved or reduced to a pasty state. 

A remarkable instance of these liquid eruptions is that pre- 
sented by Papandayang, one of the most active volcanoes in Java. 
In 1792 this mountain burst, the summit was converted into dust 
and disappeared, and the debris, spreading far and wide, buried 
forty villages. Since this epoch a copious rivulet gushes out in the 
very mouth of the crater, at a height of 77 10 feet, and runs down 
into the plain, leaping over the blocks of trachyte. Round the spring 
pools of water fill all the clefts in the rocks, and boil up inces- 
santly under the action of the hot vapors which rise in bubbles ; 
here and there are funnel-shaped cavities, in which black and 
muddy water constantly ascends and sinks with the same regu- 
larity as the waves of the sea ; elsewhere, muddy masses slowly 
issuing from small craters flow in circular slopes over mounds of 
a few inches or a yard in height ; lastly, jets of steam dart out of 



002 VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 

all the fissures with a shrill noise, making the ground tremble 
with the shock. 

All these various noises, the roaring of the cascades, the ex- 
plosion of the gaseous springs, the hoarse murmur of the mud- 
volcanoes, the shrill hissing of the fumaroles, produce an inde- 
scribable uproar, which is audible far away in the plains, which, 
too, has given to the volcano its name of Papandayang, or 
"Forge," as if one could incessantly hear the mighty blast of the 
Barnes and the ever-recurring beating of the anvils. 

In volcanoes of a great height it is rarely found that erup- 
tions of water and mud are constant, as in the Papandayang ; 
but temporary ejections of liquid masses are frequent, and there 
are, indeed, some volcanoes which vomit out nothing but muddy 
matter. The volcano of Aqua (or water), the cone of which is 
gently inclined like that of Etna, and rises to about 13,000 feet in 
height, into the regions of snow, has never vomited anything but 
water ; and it is, indeed, stated that lava and other volcanic 
products are entirely wanting on its slopes. 

INHABITANTS DRIVEN OUT. 

Yet in 1541, this prodigious intermittent spring hurled into 
the air its terminal point and poured over the plains at its base, 
and over the town of Guatemala, so large a quantity 1 of water, 
mingled with stones and debris, that the inhabitants were com- 
pelled to fly with the greatest haste, and to reconstruct their 
capital at the foot of the volcano of Fuego. This new neighbor, 
however, showed that he was as much or more to be dreaded than 
their former one, for the violent eruptions from the mountain 
compelled the inhabitants of the second town to again migrate 
and to rebuild their capital at a point twenty miles to the north- 
west. 

Several volcanoes in Java and the Philippines also give vent, 
during their eruptions, to large quantities of mud, sometimes 
mingled with organic matter in such considerable proportions that 
they have been utilized as fuel. In 1793, a few months after the 
terrible eruption of IJusen, in the island of Kiousiou, an adjacent 



VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 503 

volcano, the Miyi-Yama, vomited, according to Kampfer, so pro- 
digious a quantity of water and mud that all the neighboring 
plains were inundated, and 53,000 people were drowned in the 
deluge ; unfortunately, we have no historical details of this catas- 
trophe. Of all the eruptions of mud, the best known is that of 
Tunguragua, a volcano in Ecuador, which rises to the south of 
Quito to 16,400 feet in height. 

In 1797, at the time of the earthquake of Riobamba, a whole 
side of the mountain sank in the downfall, with the forests which 
grew on it ; at the same time, a now of viscous mud issued from the 
fissures at its base, and rushed down into the valleys. One of 
these currents of mud filled up a winding defile, which separated 
two mountains, to a depth of 650 feet, over a width of more than 
1000 feet, and damming up the rivulets at their outlet from the 
side valleys, kept back the water in temporary lakes ; one of these 
sheets of water remained for eighty-seven days. 

A CURIOUS TRANSITION. 

The volcanic mud, therefore, has this point of resemblance 
with the lava — that it sometimes flows out through the crater, as 
on Papaudayang ; sometimes through side craters, as on Tungu- 
ragua. Doubtless, when the volcanic muds have been better 
studied, we shall be enabled to trace the transition which takes 
place by almost imperceptible degrees between the more or less 
impure water escaping from volcanoes, and the burning lava more 
or less charged with steam. This transition is, however, already 
noticed in the ancient matter which the water has carried down 
and deposited in the strata at the foot of volcanic mountains. 
These rocks, known under the name of tufa, trass, or perperino, 
are nothing but heaps of pumice, scoria, ashes, and mud, 
cemented together by the water into a species of mortar or con- 
glomerate, and gradually solidified by the evaporation of the 
humidity which they contained. 

Of this kind, for instance, is the hardened stone which, for 
eighteen centuries, has covered the city of Herculaneum with a 
a layer of 50 to 150 feet in thickness. Among rocks of various 



504 VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 

formations, there are but few which exhibit a more astonishing 
diversity than the tufas. They differ entirely in appearance and 
physical qualities, according to the nature of the materials which 
have formed them, the quantity of water which has cemented 
them, the greater or less rapidity with which their fall* and desi- 
cation take place ; lastly, the number and distribution of the 
chinks which are produced across the dried mass, and have been 
filled up with the most different substances. Many kinds of tufa 
resemble the most beautiful marble. 

LITTLE CONES. 

The small hillocks, which are specially called mud-volcanoes, 
or salses, on account of the salts which are frequently deposited 
by their waters, are cones which differ only in their dimensions 
from the mighty volcanoes of Java or the Andes. Like these 
great mountains, they shake the ground, and rend it, in order to 
discharge their pent-up matter ; they emit gas and steam in 
abundance, add to their slopes by their own debris, shift their 
places, change their craters, throw off their summits in their 
explosions ; lastly, some of these salses are incessantly at work, 
while others have periods of repose and activity. In nature, 
transitions merge into one another so perfectly, that it is difficult to 
discover any essential difference between a volcano and a salse, 
and between the latter and a thermal spring. 

Mud-volcanoes exist in considerable numbers on the surface 
of the earth, and, like the volcanoes of lava, the neighborhood of 
the sea-coast is the principal locality where we find their little 
cones. In Europe, the most remarkable are those which are situ- 
ated at the two extremities of the Caucasus, on the coasts of the 
Caspian Sea, and on both sides of the Straits of Yenikale, which 
connect the Sea of Azof with the Black Sea. On the east, the 
mud-springs of Bakou are especially distinguished by their com- 
bination with inflammable gases ; on the west, those of Tanian 
and Kertch flow all the year round, but especially during times 
of drought, pouring out large quantities of blackish mud. One 
of these mud-volcanoes, the Gorela, or Kuku-Oba, which, in the 



VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 505 

time of Pallas, was called the "Hell," or Prekla, on account of its 
frequent eruptions, is no less than 246 feet in height, and from 
this crater, which is perfectly distinct, muddy streams have flowed 
one of wnich was 2624 feet long, and contained about 850,000 
cubic yards. 

The volcanitos of Turbaco, described by Humboldt, and the 
maccalube of Girgenti, which have been explored, since Dolomieu, 
by most European savants who have devoted themselves to the 
study of subterranean forces, are also well-known examples of 
mud-springs, and may serve as a type to all the hillocks of the 
same character. In winter, after a long course of rains, the plain 
is a surface of mud and water forming a kind of boiling paste, 
from which steam makes its escape with a whistling noise ; but 
the warmth of spring and summer hardens this clay into a thick 
crust, which the steam breaks through at various points and 
covers with increasing hillocks. At the apex of these cones a 
bubble of gas swells up the mud like a blister, and then bursts it, 
the semi-liquid flowing in a thin coat over the mound ; then a fresh 
bubble ejects more mud, which spreads over the first layer already 
become hard, and this action continues incessantly until the rains 
of winter again wash away all the cones. 

DEPENDENT ON THE TIDES. 

This is the ordinary course of action of the salse, sometimes 
interrupted by violent eruptions. On the coast of Mekran the 
mud-volcanoes are not only subject to the action of the seasons, 
but also depend on the action of the tides, although many of them 
are from 9 to 12 miles from the Indian Ocean. At the time of the 
flow the mud rises in great bubbles, accompanied by a hoarse mur- 
mur, like the distant roar of thunder. The highest cone is not 
more than 246 feet high, and stands seven miles from the shore. 

In a general way, the expulsion of mud and gas is accom- 
panied by a discharge of heat, but in some salses, like those of 
Mekran, the matter ejected is not higher in temperature than the 
surrounding air, as if the expulsion of the mud from the ground 
was an entirely superficial phenomenon. Occasionally, in peat 



50b VOLCANIC PROJECTILES. 

bogs, the ground cracks and cold mud is ejected from the fissure ; 
and then, after this kind of eruption, the spongy soil sinks and 
again levels down. Is this eruptive phenomenon similar to that 
presented by the mud volcanoes, and caused by the fermentation 
of gases in the midst of substances in a state of putrefaction ? 
This is M. Otto Volger's idea ; and it would be difficult to give 
any other explanation of the phenomenon. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

Volcanic Thermal Springs. — Geysers. — Springs in New 
Zealand. — Craters of Carbonic Acid. 

\ VOLCANOES, both of lava and mud, all have, either on their 
sides or in the vicinity of their base, thermal springs, which 
afford an outlet to their surplus water, gas, and vapor. Most even 
of those mountains which are at present tranquil, but which were 
once centres of eruption, continue to manifest their activity by 
vapors and gas, like furnaces in which the flames are extinct, but 
the smoke is still rising. Although lava and ashes no longer 
make their escape from the crater of lateral fissures, yet numer- 
ous hot springs, formed by the condensation of the steam, gen- 
erally serve as a vehicle for the gas pent up in the depths of the 
mountain. 

We may reckon by hundreds and thousands the "geyse.s," 
the "vinegar springs," and other thermal springs in countries 
once burning with volcanoes, the fires of which are extinct, or at 
least quieted down for a period more or less protracted. Thtis the 
former volcanoes of Auvergne ; the mountains of the Eifel, on the 
Rhine, the craters of which contain nothing but lakes or pools; 
the Demavend, with its mouth filled up with snow — all still exhale 
here and there, through springs, as it were, a feeble breath of their 
once mighty vitality. 

The volcanic regions of the earth where thermal springs gush 
out, are very numerous. In Europe we have Sicily, Iceland, Tus- 
cany, and the peninsula of Kertch, and Yellowstone Park, in 
America — land so rich in volcanoes— the springs warmed by sub- 
terranean vapor are still more numerous, and there are some 
on the sides of the volcano Nuevo del Chilian which gush out 
through a thick bed of perpetual snow. 

A lateral gorge of the valley of Napa, in California, called the 
il Devil's Canyon," may be quoted as one of the most striking exam- 
ples of the active production of thermal waters. The narrow 

507 



508 VOLCANIC THERMAL SPRINGS. 

ravine, filled with vapor rising in eddies, opens on the side of a 
red and bare mountain, that one might fancy was scorched by fire. 
The entry to the ravine follows the course of a rivulet, the boiling 
waters of which are mingled with chemical substances horrible to 
the taste. Innumerable springs — some sulphurous, others charged 
with alum or salt — gush out at the base of the rocks. There are 
both warm and cold springs, and hot and boiling ; some are blue 
and transparent, others white, yellow or red with ochre. In a 
cavity which is called the "Sorcerers' Caldron" a mass of black 
and fetid mud boils up in great bubbles. 

Higher up, the "Devil's Steam-boat" darts out jets of gas- 
eous matter, which issue puffing from a wall of rock : fumerolles 
may be seen by hundreds on the sides of the mountain. All these 
various agents either murmur, whistle, rumble or roar, and thus 
a tempest of deafening sounds incessantly fills the gorge. The 
burning ground, composed of a clayey mud — in one spot yellow 
with sulphur, and in another white with chalk — gives wa\r under 
the feet of the traveler who ventures on it, and gives vent to puffs 
of vapor through its numberless cracks. The whole gorge appears 
to be the common outlet of numerous reservoirs of various mineral 
waters, all heated by some great volcanic furnace. 

THE DEVIL'S CANYON. 

The ravine of Infernillo (Little Hell), which is situated at 
the base of the volcano of San Vincente, in the centre of the 
Republic of San Salvador, presents phenomena similar to those 
of the "Devil's Canyon." There, too, a multitude of streams of 
boiling water gush from the soil, which is calcined like a brick, 
and eddies of vapor spring from the fissures of the rock with a 
noise like the shrill whistle of a locomotive. The most consider- 
able body of water issues from a fissure 32 feet in width which 
opens under a bed of volcanic rocks at a slight elevation above 
the bottom of the valley. 

The liquid stream, partially hidden by the clouds of vapor 
which rise from it, is shut out to a distance of 130 feet as if by a 
force-pump, and the whistling of the water pent up between the 



VOLCANIC THERMAL SPRINGS. 509 

rocks reminds one of the furnace of a manufactory at full work. 
One might fancy that it was the respiration of some prodigious 
being hidden under the mountain. 

The hottest springs which gush out on the surface of the 
ground, such as those of Las Trincheras and Comangillas, do not 
reach the temperature of 212° (Fahr.); but we have no right to 
conclude from this that the water in the interior of the earth does 
not rise to a much more considerable heat. It is, on the contrary, 
certain that water descending into the deepest fissures of the 
earth although still maintaining a liquid state, may reach, inde- 
pendently of any volcanic action, a temperature of several 
hundred degrees ; being compressed by the liquid masses above 
it, it is not converted into steam. At a depth which is not cer- 
tainly known, but which Various savants have approximately 
fixed at 49,000 feet, water of a temperature exceeding 750 (Fahr.) 
ultimately attains elasticity sufficient to overcome the formidable 
weight of 1500 atmospheres which presses on it ; it changes into 
steam, and in this new form mounts to the surface of the earth 
through the fissures of the rocks. 



i & j 



FRESH JETS OF STEAM. 

Even if this steam, passing through beds of a gradually 
decreasing temperature, is again condensed and runs back again 
in the form of water, still it heats the liquid which surrounds it, 
and increases its elasticity ; it consequently assists the genera- 
tion of fresh jets of steam, which likewise rise toward the uppei 
regions. Thus, step by step, water is converted into steam up to 
the very surface of the earth, and springs out from fissures. 

In Iceland, California, New Zealand and several other vol- 
canic regions of the world, jets of steam mingled with boiling water 
are so considerable as to rank among the most astonishing phe- 
nomena of the planet. The most celebrated, and certainly the 
most beautiful, of all these springs is the Great Geyser of Iceland. 
Seen from afar, light vapors, creeping over the low plain at the 
foot of the mountain of Blafell, point out the situation of the jet of 
water and of the neighboring springs. The basin of siliceous stone 



510 VOLCANIC THERMAL SPRINGS. 

which the Geyser itself has formed during the lapse of centuries 
is no less than fifty-two feet in width, and serves as the outer 
inclosure of a funnel-shaped cavity, seventy-five feet deep, from 
the bottom of which rise the water and steam. A thin liquid sheet 
flows over the edges of the basin, and descends in little cascades 
over the outer slope. 

The cold air lowers the temperature of the water on the sur- 
face, but the heat increases more and more in all the layers 
beneath ; every here and there bubbles are formed at the bottom 
of the water, and burst when they emerge into the air. Soon 
bodies of steam rise in clouds in the green and transparent water, 
but, meeting the colder masses on the surface, they again con- 
dense. Ultimately they make their way into the basin, and 
cause the water to bubble up ; steam rises in different places from 
the liquid sheet, and the temperature of the whole basin reaches 
the boiling-point ; the surface swells up in foamy heaps, and 
the ground trembles and roars with a stifled sound. The cauldron 
constantly gives vent to clouds of vapor, which sometimes gather 
round the basin, and sometimes are cleared away by the wind,, 

LEAP OUT WITH A CRASH. 

At intervals, a few moments of silence succeed to the 
noise of the steam. Suddenly the resistance is overcome, the 
enormous jet leaps out with a crash, and, like a pillar of glitter- 
ing marble, shoots up more than ioo feet in the air. A second 
and then a third jet rapidly follow; but the magnificent spectacle 
lasts but for a few minutes. The steam blows away; the water, now 
cooled, falls in and round the basin ; and for hours, or even 
days, a fresh eruption may be waited for in Tain. Leaning over 
the edge of the hole whence such a storm of foam and water has 
just issued, and looking at the blue, transparent, and scarcely- 
rippled surface, one can hardly believe, says Bunsen, in the sud- 
den change which has taken place. 

The slight deposits of siliceous matter which are left by the 
evaporation of the boiling water have already formed a couical 
hillock round the spring, and, sooner or later, the increasing curb 



VOLCANIC THERMAL SPRINGS. 511 

of stone will have so considerably augmented the pressure of the 
liquid mass in the spring that the waters must ultimately open a 
fresh outlet beyond the present cone. From the experiments and 
observations made by Forbes as to the formation of the layer of 
incrustations round the jet, this spring must have commencd its 
eruptions ten centuries aud a half ago, and they will probably 
cease in a much shorter space of time. 

Not far from the Geyser, the mound of deposits from which 
is not less than 39 feet in height, there are a number of pools 
which once acted as basins for springs which gushed up through 
them, but are now nothing but cisterns filled with blue aud limpid 
water, at the bottom of which may be seen the mouth of a former 
channel of eruption. A shifting in the position of the centre of 
activity takes place in the Geyser, just as in mud volcanoes aud 
incrusting springs. Several springs lying on the same terrestrial 
fissure as the great jet d'eau, the Strokkr, the. Small Geyser, and 
some others, present phenomena which are nearly similar, and are 
evidently subject to the action of the same forces. 

IN CONTACT WITH HOT LAVA. 

The vicinity of the active volcanoes of Iceland warrants us, 
however, in supposing that the water produced by the melting of 
the snow on Blafell does mot require to descend many thousands of 
yards into the earth in order to be converted into steam. There 
is no doubt that, at no very great depth below the surface, they 
come iu contact with burning lava, which gives them their high 
temperature. By reproducing in miniature all the conditions 
which are thought to apply to the Icelandic springs — that is, by 
heating the bases of tubes of iron filled with water and sur- 
mounted by a basin — Tyndall succeeded in producing in his labora- 
tory charming little geysers, which jetted out every five minutes. 

About the centre of the northern Island of New Zealand the 
activity of the volcanic springs is manifested still more remark- 
ably even than in Iceland. On the slightly winding line of fissure 
which extends from the southwest to the northeast, between the 
ever active volcano of Tongariro and the smoking island of 



512 VOLCANIC THERMAL SPRINGS. 

Whakari, in Plenty Bay, thermal springs, mud fountains, and 
geysers rise in more than a thousand places, and in some spots 
combine to form considerable lakes. 

In some localities the hot vapors make their escape from the 
sides of the mountains in such abundance that the soil is reduced 
to a soft state over vast surfaces, and flows down slowly to the 
plains in long beds of mud. For a distance of more than a mile 
a portion of the Lake of Taupo boils and smokes as if it was 
heated by a subterreanean fire, and the temperature of its water 
reaches, on the average to ioo° (Fahr.). Farther to the north, the 
two sides of the valley, through which flows the impetuous river 
of Waikato after its issue from Lake Taupo, present, for more 
than a mile, so large a number of water jets, that in one spot as 
many as seventy-six are counted. These geysers, which rise to 
various heights, play alternately, as if obeying a kind of rhythm 
in their successive appearances and disappearances. 

While one springs out of the ground, falling back into its 
basin in a graceful curve bent by the wind, another ceases to 
jet out. In one spot a whole series of jets suddenly become 
quiet, and the basins of still water emit nothing but a thin mist 
of vapor. Farther on, however, the mountain is all activity ; 
liquid columns all at once shine in the sun, and white cascades 
fall from terrace to terrace toward the river. Every moment the 
features of the landscape are being modified, and fresh voices 
take a part in the marvelous concert of the gushing springs. 

About the middle of the interval which separates the Lake 
of Taupo from the coast of Plenty Bay, several other volcanic 
pools are dotted about, all most remarkable for their thermal and 
jetting springs. One of them, however, is among the great 
wonders of the world. This is the Lake of Rotomahanna, a small 
basin of about 120 acres, the temperature of which, being raised 
by all the hot springs which feed it, is about 78 (Fahr.). Dr. 
von Hochstetter has not even attempted to count the basins, the 
funnels, and the fissures from which the water, steam-mud, and 
sulphurous gases make their escape. 



APPENDIX. 

Death Came to Everyone in St. Pierre With the Quick- 
ness of a Cannon Shot. — Sulphurous Gas Permeated 
Every Peace and Was Exploded at Once. — Priests' 
Bodies Found in the Attitude of Prayer. — Calm, Not 
Panic, Written on the Lines of Dead Faces. — Daring 
Feat of Professor Heilprin in Ascending Mount Pelee 
After the Eruption. 



By J. Martin Miller. 



DESOLATION absolute, ruin and dusky death— that is St. 
Pierre. In the world's history, since mankind was a part 
of it, there has never been so instant an extinction of human life 
as in this town of Martinique. Tidal waves, so called, great fires, 
plagues and other visitations have slain thousands, but not by 
means so sudden. In a moment, by the explosion of a volume of 
sulphur gas that had poured down the sides of Mont Pelee, a 
population was destroyed, a town flung into ruin, vegetation 
scorched from the face of the earth and panic shook the souls of 
thousands. 

I have been wandering among streets of silence, wading 
through ash fall like new snow, stumbling upon corpses and look- 
ing through threatening mists at Pelee, towering into darkness of 
its own making, its sides steaming and smoking from a thousand 
vents. Not one soul remains in St. Pierre. The soldiers who 
were guarding it against loot, the men who were gathering the 
fragments which a few days ago were walking these tumbled 
avenues, singing, laughing, and making love, have fled. Probably 
none will guard it any more. One does not watch the tombs of 
the forgotten. 

It was through the courtesy of the navy people that passage 
was given from Fort-de-France to the dead city. The government 

33-MAR 513 



514 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

tug Potomac took a party of newspaper men, besides the officers 
of the cruiser from Holland that lay alongside of the Dixie, but 
that steamed away for Curacao in the evening. When we arrived 
at the ruins the captain said : " If the mountain is threatening, 
I shall blow the whistle and you must return instantly, for if j^ou 
delay another cloud may sweep down the side and asphyxiate 
you." 

We had been ashore perhaps a couple of hours, the party 
widely scattered, every man for himself, when half a dozen sharp 
calls from the tug caused us to look up. 

A thunderous darkness was falling down the slopes of Pelee. 
From new vents close at hand, two of them in the town itself, 
were gushing steam and dust, rolling and bursting to a height of 
a hundred feet. Other clouds were rising from ravines that have 
been cut into the sides of the mountains, and the inclined planes 
that reached from the sea verge to the peak i smoked, as with the 
firing of armies. Indeed, the spectacle, except for the gloom that 
fell lower and lower out of the heavens, suggested nothing so 
much as lines of troops, miles in length, and in many columns 
fighting their way into the sky. 

STORY OF A RACE FOR LIFE. 

A yellow haze began to blow over the city, bringing a sharp 
and irritating smell of sulphur. It was time to be off. We did 
not stay on the order of our going. It is alleged of one of geolo- 
gists that he cleared twenty feet on the first bound. Leaping 
down the terraces, blundering over foundation stones strewn in 
piles over the streets, passing corpses, shriveled and half buried in 
ash drifts, we made for the shore where two boats were waiting us. 

The last men came creeping laboriously down from the ruins 
with their arms laden with loot — not the kind that counts as such, 
but old dishes, door knobs, mantel ornaments, kitchen utensils 
and the like. Give a little credit to the men of the press. They 
found a safe with silver in it, and a silver coffee pot, and left it. 
An army man found a brass crucifix in the cathedral ruins and 
left it. In the tombs of the cemetery were lamps, wire frames 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 515 

for immortelles, statuettes and so on, and not one was abstracted. 
The things borne away as souvenirs are mostly of that rubbish 
which in a year or two will find its way into the ash barrel. 

RESCUING A NEGRO WOMAN. 

The company had no sooner been rowed back to the tug than 
two fumaroles broke out where some of the men had been exploring 
and the drift of yellow haze grew thicker. The anchor had been 
pulled up when a solitary figure appeared, moving northward along 
the road that connected St. Pierre with Fort-de-France. The 
glasses showed a negro woman with a bundle on her head. The 
captain sent back his gig to bring her aboard, if possible, for she 
had gone to the beach, as if seeking rescue. 

The two sailors reported her as " daffy." She refused to 

^ave the land. Though going squarely away from Fort-de-France 

Jie insisted that she was bound for that town, and she was left to 

go her way. In a few minutes she would be upon the slope of 

Pelee. 

Succeeding this eruption came a violent tropical rain, with 
some minutes of dust fall, which caused the mountain to steam yet 
more vehemently, and a hundred vents at the sea verge gave an 
effect of great industries. The rain caused the flanks of the peak 
to shine with a bleak and peculiar light as of snow in shadow. 
Steam, roofing in the awful rents blown in the volcano's side, made 
them appear like entrances to hell. 

Suddenly the darkness lifted, the eruptions along the slopes 
diminished and for the first time since the tragedy, Pelee lifted 
her head into clear sky, 4,000 feet above, disclosing the southwest 
wall of her crater blown out and a rolling column of steam arising 
from it. Then the likeness to Vesuvius was remarkable. The 
curving bay was Naples, and the sea was a brilliant green — the 
green of emerald. 

EVIDENCE OF AN EARTHQUAKE. 

The appearance of St. Pierre is that of an adobe village in 
Arizona. The town is all unroofed, it has lost its upper stories, 
and it is the color of clay, It has been half buried in the ashy 



516 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

outpour of this last eruptiou and albeit they positively assert thav 
there has been no earthquake but only a volcanic cyclone, I am 
sure there has been a shock. The once town was not under watch 
at every moment, and the damage which has recently been wrought 
could have occurred in a minute. 

That a cyclone tore across the flank of Pelee is sure, but that 
does not account for the twisting of iron grills and fences and the 
wrenching asunder of great masses of stone. Could anything have 
done these things except an upheaval of the earth ? After the first 
eruption, which destroyed the life, the houses were little injured. 
Though roofless and charred, the contents of many shops and 
houses were almost intact, whereas yesterday it was shaken to its 
foundations. Shops are not distinguishable from dwellings, and 
many streets are guesswork. 

By a mighty thrust of force the volcano has shaken the 
masonry into wild confusion. There are heaps in the streets as 
high as the barricades of Paris revolutions. Interiors of homes, 
offices and churches are as deeply filled as the yards, and often 
it is a shred of wall paper or decorated plaster that is the only 
determining point in deciding which is the inside and which the 
outside of a building. The cathedral towers, that had remained 
standing after the first eruption, were hurled down, and the fine 
bells that chimed so placidly, lie buried among the rubbish, the 
largest bell remaining unbroken, it would seem, though it weighs 
probably a ton and a half. 

CATHEDRAL IN RUINS. 

The fine altar of carved marble, with its brazen lamps and 
candles, is a wreck, and of any other ornamented portions of the 
building not a shred is visible. The inside is deep in dust, and 
a sailor, in wading through it, stumbled upon a gnarled, brown, 
uncertain looking object, seamed with white. 

" Hey, here's another o' them poor stiffs," he called to a 
comrade. 

And a body it was surely, one of those who had sought refuge 
in the place to pray away adversity. 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 51V7 

Bodies of the priests were also found here, one of them, it is 
said, in the attitude of prayer, but the uplifted hands in other 
cases may have been mere proofs of the fall of burning dust. It 
is also said that the bodies of a throng were found in the square 
before the church, and that they were early collected and burned, 
but this again is not substantiated. 

That on the morning of a feast crowds would come and go is 
presupposed, and there was also to be a procession, with music 
and banners, and the company may have been gathering for that, 
but in time of trouble and anxiety the call of the church to her 
children is not unheeded, and these victims, leaving early mass, 
or going to the later service, were better prepared for death than 
they could have been at any other time. 

ONCE GAY CITY. 

The other churches had their complement of worshipers 
also, but social and official life had not. awakened. How hard it 
is to realize that there was life at all. One pictures the city gay 
in the sunshine, with its crowds dressed in colors fairly dazzling 
to visitors from lands of frost, with oleander and flamboyant hibis- 
cus and amaryllis blazing in the gardens, as a thing that never 
existed in the same land or century with this mournful, hideous 
wreck. Here was the club, here a hotel, there stood the Hotel de 
Ville, over yonder was the theater, not a very substantial place, 
'tis true, but seating 1500; back of it was the jail, out there by 
the cemetery was the bishop's palace, here was a hospital, here a 
market, a bank, a factory. All are blent in one wide downfall. 

A curious phase of it all is the absence of floors, doors, roofs, 
window frames, and furniture. Everything of wood was destroyed, 
save part of the little kitchens and outbuildings in the yards. It 
is the stoniest of ruins. 

Sharp as the flame was that burst from the sulphur cloud its 
duration was of the briefest. The destruction of St. Pierre was 
no doubt accomplished in less than thirty seconds. A tumbling 
green vapor, five miles of flame, and all was over. The cyclone 
with which the sea wind hurled itself upon the place, and the rain 



518 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

of dust that followed, did a kindly act of burial. In that gust of 
flame, that explosion of gases which may have been ignited by 
fires in kitchens, everything of life disappeared. Trees were 
uprooted and killed. What was a pretty garden in front of the 
city hall is a waste of ash, with a stagnant fountain in the center, 
the only green thing in the view being its water. 

But, stop ! What are these points pricking through the 
gray ? Grass, as surely as the sun shines ! Tropic vitality is 
deep and strong. The fire that blasted the sea foot of this moun- 
tain did not reach far into the soil and nature is asserting the 
power of life over death. And another token of life : here are ants 
at work. Tiny creatures, of small account in the world's economy, 
overlooked by men, have survived men, and are digging themselves 
out of this new Pompeii as busy, as placidly uninterested in 
human affairs as on the morning of the calamity. 

But the trees and flowers, the splendors of the torrid islands, 
are no more. Stately palms, at least fifty feet from base to crown, 
lie at length like slain giants, their roots already mantling with a 
fungus of brilliant orange. Hardly a stalk remains of the dra- 
cenas, cacti, bananas and other showy denizens of the public and 
private parks. The foliage that mantled the cliffy steeps behind 
the town is brown, a line of scorch extending from the sea along 
the hills, as clear as the line of char in a forest fire. 

MINIATURE HANGING GARDEN. 

This city of St. Pierre was a miniature hanging garden. It 
fronted the sea with a pretty esplanade, of which nothing is left 
except old howitzers used as posts, and from that point it climbed 
the hill in terraces which were stopped by dangerous cliffs that 
are the edge of an old mud flow from Pelee. A pleasure 
ground at one corner of the town, and a statue of the Virgin on a 
promontory at another, were features that drew attention from 
tourists as they passed the capes and saw this charming pano- 
rama unfold itself, the houses of many colors, shining in a sun of 
southern brilliancy, flecked by tree shadows and flecked by gor- 
geous reds and yellow of flowers. 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 519 

On landing it is found that even a part of the pavement on 
the beach is gone, or it may be buried under rubbish. The anchor 
chains and other ship stores along the water front are rusty and 
add to the look of long desertion. Nobody would imagine that this 
sea front had a row of shade trees and a mule railroad and 
benches for travelers and idlers to rest on. Not a hint of them is 
to be seen. The statue of Christ on the gable of the cathedral 
lies broken among the stone heaps. Where the band played on 
pleasant evenings not so much as a cricket chirps. The light- 
house that beckoned ships into the roadstead has disappeared. 

NINE LOOTERS VICTIMS OF MONT PELEE. 

Yet among the shops are odd survivals — useless cups and 
saucers, rows of dusty tumblers, toys for children, images of 
china, tin and plaster. What the loot has been, nobody can know. 
The place is unsafe for thieves, not because soldiers guard it, but 
because the mountain does. On the day before yesterday nine 
negroes were found rummaging through the stores. They were 
arrested. Pelee broke into eruption and the guards fled leaving 
the looters at liberty. Yesterday the nine men were found dead. 
They had not been shot. Pelee still claims its victims. 

Much treasure will never be brought to the surface. It is 
buried as deep as the flowers and lawns on the delectable hills 
above the city. For those heights are as barren as the glacier 
fronts of Greenland. As you sail by the mountain you might 
look for St. Pierre in vain. Some one cries, " There is the city ! " 
But you see no city. Ah, you mean that broken slope, which, 
more than any other thing, suggests a cornfield in November? 
A little nearer, and you see that it is like a cemetery in a Latin 
country. And truly it is a cemetery. Only when you are close in 
shore can you realize that here was one of the most charming towns 
in the West Indies. 

What happened on that morning ? An hour after sunrise 
Pelee, which had been uneasy for some days, began to send up 
columns of dust and steam, and mutterings were heard in the 
earth. What matter ? Pelee had tried to frighten Martinique 



520 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

before. It would shake and smoke for a little ; and then quiet- 
down again, after its manner. 

Poor people ! There was almost time to escape, if you had 
known. The road to Fort-de-France was open. By running you 
could have won at least a chance of life. But no. This was the 
feast of Ascension, and heaven would be good to you. 

The tropic day had begun. In woods and gardens on the 
hillsides the flowers were opening to the heat ; a few birds were 
shrilling, not singing, as with us, but calling to one another ; on 
the walls that fortified the climbing roads against downbreak, 
quick and dainty lizards were scampering after flies ; odors of 
orange and jasmin blent with the balm of morning and tonic 
fragrance of the sea. Peacefully rocking in their towers on the 
Cathedral de la Morillage the bells were humming their call to 
prayer, and the golden notes went abroad in waves, reaching to 
the palm-hid villages along the shore. 

Chimneys were sending up incense to the domestic gods, and 
faint notes of unhurried life issued through doors and lattices. 
The sea sparkled blue and green, the clean surf tumbled music- 
ally against the esplanade, and in the roadstead a few vessels 
swung carelessly. Clumsy pelicans watched at the water's edge 
for food, and graceful, graceless beggars began their own employ- 
ment by lining up along the warehouses to watch the horizon 
and boats and nap between conversations. 

OMINOUS RUMBLINGS. 

Hark ! Above and beneath the pounding surf and ringing 
bells, a rumble. Only thunder. The rainy season will be here 
in two or three weeks, and showers are growing usual. The 
industries of kitchen go on ; commonplaces of the street are in 
exchange ; the yawning ones who sleep late because this is holi- 
day are looking at the ceiling and meditating on the sad necessity 
of getting up. 

Again, and louder, that pulsing sound, deep, long, stirring, 
vague terrors ; and this time it does not stop. The rumble grows ; 
a yellow light, a light that would come of a dying sun, not a 



GRAPHTC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 521 

sinking one, is upon St. Pierre, making it shadowy and uncertain' 
How close it is, and what sultriness is in the air! The birds are 
flying off. The very fish are uneasy, and are leaping from the 
water. The opaline gar-spite, that swim so near the surface, 
with bird-like turnings of the head, are putting off to sea. The 
sailors in the ofling are studying the sky with doubting s in their 
look. 

People step into the streets to see why it grows dark. Horses 
are stamping in the stalls, and the dogs are whining. The rush 
of the Riviere Blanche is hot, strong and sulphurous. Clouds 
nearly always rest on Pelee, but not such clouds as these. See, 
they are rent with thunderbolts, and the gloom is deepening fast! 
Yet the bells ring on, and there is comfort in them. Take that 
comfort while you may, for it is nearly over. You, mother, kiss 
your little ones for the last time. Good father, in the church, 
commend the souls of those kneeling ones to the All Father, who 
is to require them, for the hour has come. To every one in St. 
Pierre this is the last of earth. 

STONES BEAT ON THE CATHEDRAL BELL. 

Pelee lightens. It shakes from head to foot. A smoky pall 
descends, blotting the view of Niagaras of boiling mud that are 
leaping down the slopes. A very devil's tattoo is sounded from 
the cathedral. The bell man has done his work, and these rapid 
notes are the pounding of stones that shower from the sky. 

On the steamer Roraima the crew and the passengers — West 
Indians, Americans, English, Germans, Swedes, Italians — who 
were eagerly questioning, are praying now. On shore there is a 
movement toward the churches. At the pretty wayside shrines 
men and women fall to their knees and bend their heads. And 
so comes death. The cloud, falling with the speed of hail, spread- 
ing as a fan, its edge rolling and volleying like a breaker. It is 
green, a sulphurous, poisonous, unearthly green, with a back- 
ground of pitchy darkness. It reaches St. Pierre. In one breath 
the people die. In another moment the cloud turns to fire, with 
a cannon report. 



522 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

Now the ash falls thick and hot, and stones from the crater 
break as they reach the ground with sparks as of coals. But 
human eyes do not see these things. They are glazed, and stare 
at vacancy. At one throb 20,000 human hearts have ceased to 
beat. St. Pierre ? There's no such a place. Its citizens abroad 
are of the race of Ishmael, and homeless. Its streets will be 
peopled of the lizard and the fer de lance, and weeds and vines 
hide its ruin. 

The rattle of stones is over, the crash of trees, swept from the 
ground in an inrush of cool air, has ceased, from end to end the 
city is on fire, but will burn tranquilly till the rains fall, the 
shipping is in flames or sunk, less ash sifts from the clouds, and 
after a little there come up from the south black spots that, draw- 
ing near begin to wheel above the place of death. They are the 

vultures. 

WAR SHIPS LAND SUPPLIES. 

War ships of the nations are beginning to arrive, to express 
condolence and land supplies. The Dutchman, the Queen Re- 
gent, left last night, and to-day, with blither and bang, the flag- 
ship Tage rides in, saluting and saluted, the bands on various 
decks playing airs of other nations in compliment. Visits of 
ceremony are paid from ship to ship, the officers gasping in com- 
fortless full dress, and the poor devils of marines incased in their 
stiffest clothing, in order to look their prettiest when the great 
men come over the side. 

Ashore there are few tokens of the tragedy. The people 
laugh and chatter as they have been doing these hundred and 
odd years, and ragged urchins dog the strange Americans who go 
hiking up and down the streets, each several urchin hoping 
against hope for pennies, and bunching himself among his associ- 
ates before the statue of Empress Josephine — a native of this 
island — whenever the photographers seethe in from space and 
appropriate that work of art. A graceful, pretty statue it is, with 
its setting of tall palms and park of glossy mangoes. 

I try to get a few words from our consul, or agent, Mr. Ayme, 
but he is excited, half ill, busy, and can think of nothing but 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 523 

trouble. He is selling news himself and writing magazine 
articles, so that he has little to offer to newspaper men. As I 
enter his office I find him in consultation with a professor and two 
emissaries from a magazine, and am invited to get out. Other 
people from newspapers relate like experience, and some of them 
declare war on the consul, alleging that he delays their cable 
dispatches in order to speed his own. 

The fright which shook Fort-de-France on the day when 
Mont Pelee exploded with such vehemence, has passed. People 
are still trying to leave the island. Certain of the shops are 
closed. Windows and doors in some of the best houses are 
boarded up. Yet the same soldiers and civilians sit in the little 
cafes, drinking fruit syrups and brandy ; the same bronze figures 
amble up the beach and cool in the surf ; the same bare-legged 
women — of real beauty not a few — are carrying burdens on their 
heads, up and down the streets, and the same lazy, careless, happy- 
go-lucky air as usual is suggested in the lounging people about 
shops and squares. 

HOURLY CHURCH SERVICES. 

Two things are significant : Hourly service at the church 
and the incoming of refugees. The services begin at early morn- 
ing, the interior is draped in mourning, and the bells clang at 
frequent intervals. You would say, perhaps, that because matins, 
mass, prayers and all were said so often the congregations would 
be small, but no ; there is a large attendance and a democratic 
one — negro laborers, French officers, sailors from the Dixie, 
ragged fellows scared in from the hills, and officials of the town 
who carry themselves with a certain elegance and conform to 
European fashions. 

These people are on their kness and there is earnestness in 
their petitions — more earnestness than their worship has shown 
for many years. And in the shaky, dirty little school buildings 
in the middle of the city the refugees are quartered, dirty, 
crowded, not depressed and not unhappy, for if the terror of the 
mountain hangs over them, at least they are getting food. 



524 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

Besides these runaways, who are hurrying into the streets, 
finding reassurance in the company of their fellows, there are 
others who are beginning a camp in a valley beyond the Fort-de- 
France. As this is a military station of some account, there is an 
assurance of order and sanitation, although the French islands are 
not equal to the Danish and English in respect of cleanliness and 
settled state. There are batteries masked among the hills, and a 
venerable stone fort at the head of the harbor, in which the King 
of Dahomey is a prisoner, with forty or fifty of his wives. From 
these defences could be thrown, at a moment's notice, a force of 
troops to cow the riotous and quiet the discontented. 

But there are no tokens of impending trouble. The fright- 
ened people turn with trust to their lay and cleric leaders, and the 
arrival of the Yankees, with food to last for weeks and months, 
causes the hearts of Martinique to leap with thanks. The only 
danger is that of so great an inrush of the panic-stricken into this 
small, unprepared city as to menace the health of both newcomers 

and residents. 

SCANDAL IN FOOD SALES. 

And free food will draw them to the Fort-de-France quicker 
than anything else. When and how they will get it and who will 
get it ? Some interesting history will be written about that. Ugly 
rumors are afloat already of official fingers in the charity pie ; of 
American bread, flour, tents and clothing to be stored in public 
warehouses, drawn upon for dole, then forgotten and afterward 
sold for some one's gain. Let us hope that rumor this time hath 
a lying tongue and that no creature in human guise will trade on 
the misery of his fellows. 

At the hospitals it does not look as if such would be the 
case. The ill and injured are as well treated as circumstances 
allow, and their condition is favorable. Those who have been dis- 
charged are finding their way out of the district and are seeking 
safety in Guadeloupe. 

Absurd tales reach us of the desertion of the French and 
English, of warships coming to force the residents away, of a 
general volcanic oiitbreak along the Caribbean and a smothering 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 525 

and sinking of many another new world Pompeii. They reflect 
the alarm that is felt at this almost unprecedented cataclysm. 

Here in Fort-de-France it does not look like desertion. The 
best that can be done for the injured is being done in the hospitals, 
civil and military, instead of putting them aboard ship and send- 
ing them to Guadeloupe. 

Although a few people went into St. Pierre from Fort-de- 
France and other places to see Mont Pelee in activity, more people 
were frightened away, and the populace was below rather than 
above the normal on that morning. 

MODE OF BUILDING HOUSES. 

Cities are not built in this country as in ours. An American 
town of 26,000 would spread over several square miles. We can 
take a place like Meriden, Conn., or Nyack, N. Y., as an example. 
Only the business district would be congested. But in these 
West Indian cities the building is continuous. The houses are 
detached rather than separated, by party walls, yet they stand 
close, and the new comer erects his house a hand span from his 
neighbor, if his wall does not actually touch the adjacent prop- 
erty. And the houses are also small, more people rooming over 
twenty square feet than in many parts of New York. So, although 
St. Pierre was a mere strip between the cliffs and the sea, extend- 
ing for hardly a couple of miles, its population was dense and its 
commerce made it one of the busiest and most attractive cities in 
the Caribbean. Pompeii was buried deeper and Pompeii was a 
richer, handsomer town, but the destruction of life was not a 
tithe of that in Martinique. 

Father Jean Alteroche, pastor at Morne Bert, a place of 
1400 people, five kilometers above St. Pierre and ten kilometers 
south of the crater, is one of the very few who can give a clear 
testimony as to the explosion. 

Until the night before the casualty, he said, smoke had been 
coming from the mountain, but on that night it had subsided. 
" 'Ware Stromboli when its eruption stops," the vineyard people 
say, who till its slopes. On the fatal morning the priest stood 



526 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

looking at the peak, wondering what the day was to bring forth, 

when a dense, whitish smoke began to issue from the mountain 

and pour down its sides. There was a flash of light and a report. 

After a little another. Then came a third report louder than the 

others, and with it the mountain flank was bathed in a mass of 

flame. 

PRIEST'S STORY OF CATASTROPHE. 

Father Alteroche and his people took to flight, but before he 
had gone 200 yards he was thrown down, as by a wind, and burned. 
Rocks were tossed into the air. A breeze then came from the 
south, driving back the odors and dust, and as the air cleared he 
saw St. Pierre below, in flames. None were killed at Morne Bert, 
but twenty were injured and the place was deserted from that 
hour. Not a soul remains there. No earthquake was felt at any 
time duriug the activities of Pelee, but the falls of stone were 
accompanied by thunder that pealed through the darkness, and 
lightning flashes played through the cloud mass as it fell upon 
the town. Father Alteroche thought he saw flame issuing from 
the crater. 

There are bright fires still burning near the sea front at St. 
Pierre. You see them as the ship approaches in the night and 
may fancy they are cremations. No, they are coal yards, lumber 
yards, naval stores, whose destruction is delayed by the fallen 
rock and coat of ashes. Here and there one detects odors of drugs, 
as if they were burning in some cellar, and the rillets of rain 
water that descend the military road into the town have a marked 
smell of chemicals, though there was no factory in that quarter. 

The heat generated by the explosion of the gas is believed to 
be 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. It seared and withered where it did 
not destroy. Yet, although the statue of the Virgin, which over- 
looked the sea above the south end of the city was hurled from its 
pedestal, the pedestal itself remains a white mark, a guide for 
navigators as of old. I found among the ruins several books that 
were legible, though the pages were browned and would crumble 
to dust ere many days. This char affected the whole book rather 
than the outer leaves. 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 527 

Kxtreme heat was noted on the day when the search was 
made for the consuls' bodies. The engineer was testing the sea 
water when Pelee was belching black and green clouds, and dis- 
covered a temperature of ninety-two degrees. In twenty minutes 
the heat had fallen to eighty-one degrees. He could not condense 
the water, it was so warm. In the engine the vacuum dropped from 
twenty-six inches to eighteen, the pumps refused to take water 
and the hose was turned on to cool them. During this time the 
fish in the roadstead were suffering, and many of them leaped 
eight feet into the air. 

And the end is not yet. These eruptions have been felt in 
one form and another throughout the West Indies. Ocean cur- 
rents have changed, prevailing winds have gone about, intense 
heat prevails, as usual, but, what the people insist is not usual, 
is that to this heat is added the wilting humidity of a New York 
August. 

The ruin on this island is less than in Martinique, though 
in its physical aspect the eruption of the Soufriere was remark- 
ably like that of Pelee. The Soufriere was supposed to be not 
dormant, but dead. It was in the same category with sundry 
dozens of West Indian mountains that have been active within 
the memory of man, but till recently were looked upon as harm- 
less. Hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, snakes, low prices for sugar 
and visitations of fever were thought to be enough without adding 
eruptions, but nature asserts itself from time to time to teach a 
becoming humility to our species. 

MANY WARNINGS FROM LA SOUFRIERE. 

The Soufriere lords it over St. Vincent as Pelee does on 
Martinique, rising over 4000 feet above the sea. It has been 
quiescent since 1812. There were various warnings of trouble 
three weeks ago ; the ground shook, rumblings were heard and a 
lake in the crater was discovered. On the 6th of May there were 
escapes of steam with great noises, and on the 7th three craters 
were pouring out mud that flowed down the slopes, covered with 
vapor and uttering stenches of sulphuretted dyrogen. Columns 



528 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

of cloud rolled upward to a height of eight miles, and others 
descended, carrying showers of dust and stones and burying the 
land under a midnight darkness. 

The down-coming cloud was likened to flowers and heads of 
cabbage, leaves of vapor, miles long, incessantly shot through by 
webs and sheets of electric fire. Hot water flowed over the crater's 
lip and it is alleged that a glow as of molten lava shone against 
the under side of the clouds. But if there was lava it did not not 
flow. Like Pelee, the Soufriere is a mud volcano. Laborers 
flying from the fields reported danger to the settlements and pres- 
ently there were regular processions trudging along the roads 
toward Kingstown and other places out of reach of the 
bombardment. 

NEW CRATERS UNDER FOOT. 

For some time it was not known that lives had been lost, and 
the discovery that 2000 persons had perished in the infernal blast 
came with crushing force upon the little communities of the island 
and deepened apprehension which extends to the remotest con- 
fines. It is not that the people are all afraid of burial under 
ashes, but that in these great upheavals new craters break under 
one's feet and strips of coast slide into the sea, the submarine 
avalanches falling for hundreds of fathoms, carrying villages 
and people to eternal burial. 

As we steamed into this charming harbor of Kingstown, and 
saluted the forts and men of war, the first evidence of poverty 
that we noticed was bread, literally cast upon the waters and float- 
ing by in half loaves. The next was a company of bumboat 
people offering fruits. The laundresses who swarmed aboard 
were sufficiently and well dressed. The trim gardens on shore, 
the busy market, with its cotton trees, the laden branches of bread 
fruit, the stately palms and blazing hibiscus, seemed to betoken 
prosperity. At the landing platform we were met by the usual 
crowd of ragged negroes, who insisted on carrying our parcels and 
cameras, and wanted to show where we could post letters and 
buy rum. 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 529 

All hands were out for a penny, and everyone who went ashore 
was beset by an army of boys who could not be driven off, except 
with firearms. "God bless Uncle Sam ! " "The Americans are 
the best people — spare us a penny, master." " We'll show you 
the way to the American consul, sah. It's where de Stars an' 
Stripes are flyin'. Dey's the bes' flag." It was with remarks like 
these, so different from the whining and threatening of city 
vagrants, that we were greeted. If you assured these cheerful 
tramps that you hadn't money to spare for them, they added : 
" Well, you's an American, master, so God bless you, all the same." 
How could you keep any coppers in your pocket after that ? 

After a stop at the Kingstown Club several of the newspaper 
men engaged conveyances of a philanthropist for a drive to George- 
town, twenty-two miles away, over one of the loveliest roads in the 
world, a rival to the Cornice of Italy. We met beggars all the 
way, some of them flying from the Soufriere, or seeking relief 
supplies in Kingstown. Ere long we began to find the road strewn 
with stones as large as filberts, a recent fall from the volcano, and 
the fields of cane and arrow root were powdered over with the same 
gray dust as is falling from Pelee . 

ASH DEVASTATION AT ST. VINCENT. 

Our slow mules and tipsy driver did not get us into George- 
town till nearly dark. We found it a street of slab shacks, with 
a stone church and parsonage, a Wesleyan chapel, a school, with 
a porch that had fallen to the ground under a weight of volcanic 
ashes, a few stone houses, but mostly poor cabins hidden among 
palms, bananas and sea grapes. It was hot and close and dirty. 
Piles of ash had been swept from roofs and shoveled from, the 
walk. 

A fall of eighteen inches of this ash has taken place, but the 
rains have beaten it into mud and have washed tons of it into the 
sea. All is sad colored and gray, as in the neighborhood of Pelee, 
but the scorching has been lighter. Soufriere, the terrible, that 
Georgetown keeps in the corner of its eye, is withdrawn in sulky 
majesty behind a curtain of steam, but a great mud flow that has 

34-MAR 



530 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

descended from it reeking with vapors, and now and again we hear 
the ticking of ashes on porches of corrugated iron, or on the 
shingles. 

Nearly every window in Georgetown, on the side toward the 
sea and away from the mountain, has been smashed. That means 
the ascent of stones to a great height and their entrance into a 
western air current that hurled them back in the direction of the 
volcano. One window shows a hole as round and clean as if made 
with a shell from a 5-inch gun. Stones varying from a pea to a 
cocoanut in size are strewn over the fields and streets in millions, 
and you may scoop up half-ounce fragments with both hands, 
anywhere. 

Just at the edge of the town and near the cooling sea are two 
hospital tents, both filled with burned survivors of the eruption 
and attended by volunteer surgeons from Barbadoes and hospital 
stewards of the English army. These are apparently the only 
white people in Georgetown. 

EXPERIENCE OF A SURGEON. 

One of these surgeons, Dr. Colin Bowen, of Bridgetown, 
gives this experience as illustrating the range of the phenomena: 
"At 2.30 on the seventh of May I was at home ninety miles 
away. All down in the west it was dark. We were 
figuring on rain, but as the thermometer kept steady, we 
said it must be dust. At 4 o'clock I felt the dust as I was driving. 
At 4.45 it began to collect on the window sills. It kept getting 
worse, till at 8 o'clock I could ride only on a bicycle, veiled and 
wearing a pair of shades. Next morning we had from a quarter 
to three-quarters of an inch of dust all over our town, like sand. 
The villagers here say that the victims died in stifling dust, like 
that which we know r in Barbadoes as the dust of 181 2. He heard 
explosions, but thought they were guns in Venezuela, where one 
of the periodical revolutions is on." 

Especially vivid are the recitals of the victims in the women's 
hospital, a bleak building at the end of the town. It would need 
a Vedder or a Goya to paint the score at night, when the injured, 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 531 

sitting on their cots, their black skins the blacker against the 
sheets and gowns, suggest mummies in their winding sheets. 
They wave their bandaged arms and nod their bandaged heads ; 
their eyes shone in the light of the single lantern, and the rag 
tag and bob tail of the place, that has stolen in to hear the 
narrative for the hundredth time, stands fixed as graven images 
and listens in awe. 

Says one : " At n o'clock I lost de sun. Warm watah began 
to fall, with hashes. We heard a tremendous noise an' stones like 
a man's head come down. A thick cloud rose up from de moun- 
tain an' when it fall, we burned. De floor was fifteen inches thick 
with hashes. This, where I live, in Rabacca. Windows were 
smashed in, an' the hashes it come into wall houses — what you 
call stone houses — just de same as ours. When de hashes pass 
off it is so hot — so hot — I burn, all in my t'roat. Oh, God, how I 
burn in de t'roat. I want watah, but dey ain't no watah, 'an some 
of dem, dey die. I most die, too, for I all on fire in de inside, an' 
I lay down an' I can't move after dat till de door open an' de 

hashes is gone." 

QUEER OLD WOMAN. 

Another old woman, with glowing eyes and gesturing arms, 
looking in the half light like a witch, tells how the thunders 
began calling from the sea and rolled up toward the peaks, 
reversing the order on Pelee. There was a great fall of ash, then 
sand, then rocks, in the hamlets about the sugar mills above 
Georgetown, whereas in that place the stones fell first, then grit, 
then pebbles. The first stones were cold like ice, but after a 
while they broke into sparks when they struck the ground, as if 
hot coals had been drawn from an engine. All the time Soufriere 
was growling, " Vo-vo-vo-vo-vo-vo ! " 

The people closed their doors and windows and prayed. The 
ash came down in suffocating quantities, bringing an awful heat 
that penetrated the houses — mere thatched huts, the most of them 
— and buried the country in midnight darkness. The people 
crowded into these shelters, were half buried and half stifled in 
the blistering fall. After the cloud had passed and it was a kind 



532 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

of twilight, it became cool. "A great bunch of fire" swept by; 

then, as windows were opened, the air rushed violently out as 

though a vacuum had been created outside. 

Some were saved, though with arms, legs and head scorched 

and flayed, while others inhaled the burning dust and died. Those 

who survive tell of the dreadful thirst that was upon them, a 

thirst they could not slake till they had staggered down the 

mountain to the safer settlements or till others had come to the 

rescue. 

INFLUX OF HOT ASHES. 

One man, who shut himself in with sixteen people, says that 
the ashes entered through a door that was partly open and killed 
six of the party on the spot. 

Where this ash fell the rains have fallen, too, so that all the 
mountain is mud. It has put forth torrents of slime, and this 
morning its rivers are rising and the water is hot. There are 
hardly any bridges in St. Vincent, for the barefooted people do 
not mind fording the streams, and when some of our party under- 
took to explore the stricken country north of Georgetown they 
were driven back by these hot rivers. Had they crossed them, 
escape might have been cut off by the flood. Just at the sea verge 
there is a little vegetation, but it is withering fast. Goats and 
sheep are bleating piteously, for their forage is buried deep, and 
those that can are wandering to the lonely hills at the south, where 
things still grow. The ping and spank of rifles sounds in the 
wilderness. 

"Who dat shootin' ? " asks one citizen. 

" I dunno who got de gun, but he ain't shoot no birds." 

" No, dey ain't no birds, no mo'." 

" He shootin' goats." 

I roamed into the fields behind Georgetown last night. Sou- 
friere was throwing out clouds that boiled upward in cushiony 
masses, their rolling edges taking pale light from the moon. The 
mountain's devastated slopes gleamed with moisture and one 
faintly descried the chimneys of sugar mills, marking buried 
industries. Along the edge of a ravine were twinkling a score of 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 533 

fires, and dark figures flitted to and fro against them. These were 
the refugees, preparing supper. They are quartered in a school 
house and in a botanical experiment station near by, crowded in 
on beds, mattresses and on the floor, and cooking in the air ; a 
throng of ragged men, half-dressed women and naked children, 
who had been chattering, scolding, squalling, gathering eagerly 
about the visitor to learn any fresh news of the volcano and to beg 
a penn y 

Nearly every one of these people has lost a father, mother, 
brother, sister, wife, husband or child ; some are bereaved of all 
their families and all their friends ; yet there are few outward 
signs of grief. Nor can one say that the air is that of dull resig- 
nation. Rather it is a daze. They do not yet realize what has 
happened. They have passed through fire and the taste of air and 
sense of safety are still strange to them. Ignorant and slow of 
understanding they are, and they Mall emerge from these calami- 
ties like men in dreams. 

It doubtless marks an undeveloped mind in the people of the 
islands that few, if any, have been made insane by the awfulness 
of their experience. Their sufferings are chiefly of the body, and 
these are endured with a cattle-like patience that is wonderful to 
a person made supersensitive by the refinements of northern life. 

AN IMPROVISED HOSPITAL. 

Step across to the tent hospitals and note the silence and 
resignation there. These tents have been pitched close to the 
sea, to get air and escape flies. Their sides are drawn up for free 
access of the breeze, and the cots are arranged with feet towards 
the central pole. All the patients are black, all the doctors white. 
There are young and old in the company, but no rich and poor. 
All are poor, abjectly, unconsciously poor, with a poverty that 
has never known a day of plenty. 

To most of them this care and tenderness is a wonderful ex- 
perience. The doctors go from one to another with a cheery, 
reassuring word and a smile that are worth more than medicine. 
As the cotton and bandages are snipped and peeled from the raw 



534 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

flesh the patients wince and sometimes tremble with the pain, but 

there is not a word of complaint, not a sigh of weariness, not a 

groan, though some of them to-morrow will be carried from the 

place and lowered in the earth, out there where the grave digger 

is laying his line of double trenches, long lines, filled in at one 

end as he lengthens them at the other. 

The injuries are not as serious as occur in a railroad accident, 

maybe ; there are no crushed skulls and broken legs, no deep 

lacerations and big bruises, but they seem worse. The flesh has 

been scorched and baked, the skin has been peeled off in strips, 

ears have been nearly roasted from the heads, eyes have been half 

blinded, arms and legs are deeply swathed in cotton. A few 

relatives, a wife, a son, visit the tents and sit beside the sufferers, 

as still and as patient, and fan them, or pass water to them from 

time to time. 

BODIES CREMATED. 

The disaster on St. Vincent is more widely scattered than in 
Martinique. Most of the bodies that are not buried under ash and 
mud have been buried and cremated, though occasionally the odor 
from a deserted cabin shows the need of sanitary agents. A great 
epidemic has been foretold for the afflicted islands, but no tropical 
country ever before had so prompt and adequate a medical service 
to prevent it. The agency of flies, that made such mischief in the 
camp at Chickamauga must be taken into account. 

On entering Georgetown last evening we encountered a throng 
of people gathered about the doors of a shabby shop, with pails, boxes 
and baskets. They were of all ages and both sexes, and they dis- 
closed the same admirable patience that is shown in the hospitals. 
They were the applicants for relief. It is too early for any of the 
Dixie's supplies to be freighted over, but the local measures 
are presently effective. Only it is to be remembered the British 
methods are slow. Red tape is wound about everything, and the 
languor of the tropics, which does not stay appetites, will delay the 
means of ministering to them. Some of these people tell us that 
they have been waiting since morning and have been told to come 
again to-morrow. 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 535 

American agents would have finished the business in one hour. 
The food which has been distributed is mostly bread, flour and 
salt fish. In the stricken district the people must rely for a time 
on stores. Not a cocoanut, banana or a mango remains on the 
trees. The root crops are buried, although in fields within four 
miles of the volcano a fresh output of green, tender and tentative, 
reveals the indestructible qualities of the arrow root. That, how- 
ever, is an export, rather than a substance. All seek food, but, so 
nearly as I can discover, nobody is seeking work. 

There is some thieving, yet not much, and considering that 
there are no soldiers on this island, and only a handful of police, 
the behavior of the populace and refugees is excellent — better 
than the behavior of an equal number of New York's citizens 
would be under the like circumstances. The negroes here in 
Georgetown have made no raids, but they have slipped into sugar 
factories and shops and in the past few nights have stolen thirty- 
four gallons of rum and sixteen hogsheads of sugar. 

SINGING METHODIST HYMNS. 

At 9 o'clock last evening three hundred of the refugees who 
are quartered in and about the supply house on the main street, 
were consoling themselves with Methodist hymns. Seated and 
standing in the windows and gathered on the rough pavement 
that has been drifted with the volcano's ash, they waited a leader. 
Some strong voice would begin "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," or 
"Nearer, My God to Thee," and in a moment all the others would 
be joined in harmony. The musical skill of these people is won- 
derful. There are no false chords or sharped or flatted intonations. 
Nobody has had singing lessons, or has heard anything about 
correct breathing, or method. All sing from the chest and the 
heart. The alto carried by some boys of nine or ten years, who 
do not know printed music from a prescription, is startlingly fine 
and true. 

The moon was shining, the southern cross was sparkling in 
the sky, the surf droned along the beach, the camp-fires twinkled, 
the crickets chirped, the leaves of the banana tree rustled in the 



fi36 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

breeze and the music added the one element to make this a perv 
feet tropic night. And think what this comfort of song means to 
a people so bereft, so lorn, so terrified. 

This morning the relief stations were besieged again, and the 
rations were handed out in the same hesitant fashion, with much 
reference to rules and regulations. The head of a family of five 
tells me that yesterday's allowance was four and one-half pounds 
of wheat, rice and fish, not quite a pound apiece for his people, 
and some who stood in the throng — they do not form the appli- 
cants into line — all day, got nothing at all. 

TROUBLES IN FOOD DISTRIBUTION. 

That care is necessary, however, was proved by the engineer 
who tooled our team of mules from Kingstown yesterday. This 
worthy, who has, through some mistaken charity, acquired what 
is known as a jag, related with perfect frankness that he had 
o-iven his dinner yesterday to a friend, yet when he went to the 
relief station and demanded food they refused to give it to him, 
because he had a regular job. And he required to know what 
kind of a way to do business that was. We thought it a very good 
way, and that puzzled and surprised him, too. There are moral 
obstacles in this food distribution that the Yankees are happy 
to shrink. 

What is called the Carib country, on the east side of St. 
Vincent, has suffered most. The ash-falls have been deeper and 
the mountain has freer vent on that side. Yet fewer of the Caribs 
have been killed and hurt than of the negroes among the planta- 
tions. These Caribs are the Indians, the aborigines, who have 
succeeded thus far in maintaining a tribal entity. Probably not 
many of them are of pure blood, yet they have the faces of Indians, 
their gravity of demeanor, their silence, and you may pick them 
out in any dusky throng by the clearness of their eyes and the 
straightness of their hair. Many have taken refuge in Kingstown. 

It is claimed that before the eruption of Soufriere two 
hundred of them dug caves into the hillsides and were safely 
under cover when things began to happen. They are making no 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 537 

complaints, and as soon as the mountain is quiet again they will 
probably go back to their fishing and basket making. More fright 
was shown here in Georgetown than among the Indians. When 
stones began pattering on the roofs — good big stones they are, too 
— there was a rush for cover. So many crowded into the carpenter 
shop, where the industry now is coffins, that not another person 
could enter, and those who were hammering for help outside were 
urged to distribute themselves in houses. 

SPLENDID ELECTRIC STORM. 

All who could crawled under the beds and tables. The air 
was hot and stifling with dust, and Dry River suddenly swelled 
from a trickle of water to a torrent 300 feet deep among the hill 
gorges. For a few days before there had been rumblings, and 
water in kettles and tubs turned white. On the 18th, the night 
before Pelee's strongest output, dust fell here, there was a splendid 
show of lightning, and though a terrific thunder-storm appeared to 
be raging overhead, the rainfall was almost nothing. Dust and 
scoria came down. 

At four o'clock this morning we had an earthquake, and a 
tremendous tropical downpour. They told me all about it when 
I went to breakfast. I had about resigned hope of hearing the 
volcanic noises of which we read, but at 1 or 2 o'clock, while jog- 
ging dismally back to Kingstown, through a driving, soaking rain 
that drenched us to the skin, Soufriere began to grumble. The 
noise was somewhat like thunder, but shorter, more interrupted. 
It suggested the bumping of freight cars. Several times the 
sound was repeated. 

Our driver became excited. He shouted to the people he met 
to go back, or not to go far, for " de mountain is bad again." And 
he larrupped his mules without mercy, turning around now and 
then to reassure us : "I'll get you into Kingstown, Marster. I'll 
surely get you in by 5 o'clock, 'cause I'm jess as scared as you 
are." 

This driver, by the by, is the only frightened person we have 
seen — that is, alarmed as by an immediate danger. The others 



538 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

are timid or disquieted, but active fright is too strong an emotion 
to ascribe to them. 

None of us Yankees have been conscious at any time of peril. 
The tragedies seem to be in the past, and a mountain a mile ur 
two away seems as distant as if it were a hundred, so far as there 
is any possibility of its doing injury. Yet, it was a terrible erup- 
tion in Soufriere, and at any instant it may be repeated. It has 
devastated the northern end of St. Vincent, just as the explosions 
of Pelee ruined the north extremity of Martinique. It has made 
changes in the geography, building hills, channeling hollows, 
altering the coast line, deepening the soil, utterly destroying life 
about it, and ruining all the villages and estates north of George- 
town. 

The activity of the mountain to-day that to us was merely a 
distant cannonading in the clouds, was better seen by a boat party 
from the Dixie that went up on the leeward side of the island. 
Though shrouded in mist, the spurting and fizzing of a thousand 
steam vents could be seen on its slopes, and dust as well as vapor 
was bursting, from minor craters that are breaking like huge 
bubbles, in the mud banks. The roaring and booming were 
constant. 

Kingstown, being the remotest place from La Soufriere, is the 
objective point of the emigrants. Government is helping the 
people to remove to places of safety, the freight steamer Wear 
bringing over a hundred a day from Georgetown, and taking 
relief supplies on the up journey. Two thousand people have 
left the Carib country, some settling about Barrouaille, only six 
miles from the volcano on the lee side, where the destruction has 
been most complete ; a few at Chateau Belair, at the mountains' 
very foot, but more seeking the south end of the island. 

SUPPLIES GIVEN TWICE ON EACH DAY. 

The authorities have constructed 500 huts at Questelles, four 
miles north. These are wooden houses with roofs of corrugated 
iron and in apportioning them among the fugitives the Caribs 
have first choice. But for the dearth of wood, these cabins would 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 539 

have been built before, but while vegetation is luxuriant enough 
in the tropics there is a lack of trees that can be used for timber. 
At present the runaways are quartered in and about a commis- 
sariat on the hills and in the old military hospital on the outskirts 
of the town. 

They assemble twice a day for supplies and are supposed to 
receive enough for three meals. Ship's biscuit, rice and sugar 
are the rations and there is milk for the children, doubtless from 
local herds. In the commissary buildings the women and infants 
occupy the top story and the men sleep on the floor below. They 
are as comfortable as they were in the poor little shanties they call 
their homes. 

When the Wear puts in at one of the shore villages to land 
supplies, her appearance is greeted with clamorous joy. Cata- 
marans skim out and gyrate about her, and those who have no 
boats rush down to the beaches and dance about, waving their 
arms and shouting. On the arrival of a boat at one of these 
settlements with salt fish, hard bread and rice the "head man," a 
functionary who may be regarded as a mayor, but whose office is 
probably a survival of the Indian chieftaincy, takes charge of the 
supplies and to him the distribution is intrusted. 

NO SIGNS OF STARVATION. 

Have I seen great evidences of hunger ? Frankly, no. Food 
is needed and will be till the people can get work and the fields 
can be tilled again, the richer for the fertilizing ash fall. But the 
black people of all the Leeward Islands from Dominica south, and 
the Windward Islands, too, for the matter of that, are every whit 
as meagre and ragged and beg as persistently as those of the 
stricken district. 

Remember, the West Indian does not exhaust vitality as the 
American will do. He cannot even if he would. Fast, hard work 
in the blazing sun is not possible, and he is accustomed to a simple 
diet. If he has bread, he fares luxuriously. In the towns here 
you find peddlers vending little loaves as our peddlers sell cake 
and candy. The farm laborers live on manioc and molasses. 



540 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

bananas, cocoannts, yams, bread fruit and a little rice. Owners of 
farms add to this dietary a little milk and a holiday pig, the meat 
of a runt of a razorback, that even by Florida standards is insig- 
nificant. The mass of the people do not taste meat from year to 
year, yet, do you know, the clamor of the refugees is for pork. 
That is because they think they may get it. 

PROFESSOR HEILPRIN'S GREAT FEAT. 

The National Geographical Society has scored a great 
triumph through it representative, Professor Angelo Heilprin, 
who, with three guides, ascended to the top of the crater on Mont 
Pelee. Professor Heilprin is also president of the Philadelphia 
Geographical Society. Professor Heilprin had gone to the Plan- 
tation Vive, which is near the crater, in company with Fernand 
Clerc and Mr. Reid, landed proprietors of Martinique. This 
expedition was especially organized by United States Consul 
Ayme and Professor Heilprin and was led by the latter. 

The expedition left Fort-de-France May 29, at noon. Friday 
the next day, was spent in studying the newly-formed craters on 
the north flank of the mountain. Saturday morning Professor 
Heilprin determined to attempt the ascent to the top of the crater, 
and with this purpose in view, he set out at 5 o'clock. 

The volcano was very active, but amid a thousand dangers 
Professor Heilprin reached the summit and looked down into the 
huge crater. Here he spent some time in taking careful observa- 
tions. He saw a huge cinder cone in the centre of the crater. 
The opening of the crater itself is a vast crevice 500 feet long and 
150 feet wide. 

While Professor Heilprin was on the summit of the volcano, 
several violent explosions of steam and cinder laden vapor took 
place, and again and again his life was in danger. Ashes fell 
about him in such quantities at times, as to completely obscure 
his vision. One particularly violent explosion of mud covered 
the Professor from head to foot with the hideous viscid and semi- 
solid matter. He still persisted in his study and observations, 
however, and twice more was showered with mud. He learned, 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 541 

as had been suspected, that there were three separate vents 
through which steam issued. Full details of the Professor's ob- 
servations cannot be had until he returns to Fort-de-France. 

Professor Heilprin's journey down the side of the mountain 
was fully as perilous as the ascent. Mont Pelee seemed to resent 
the intrusion of a puny human being into her most awful pre- 
cincts, and belched out huge volumes of steam, ashes and boiling 

hot mud. 

SYNCHRONOUS ERUPTIONS. 

The Professor made the important discovery that the crater 
at the head of the river Fallaise has synchronous eruptions with 
the crater at the summit of the volcano, and that it ejects pre- 
cisely the same matter at such times. The river Fallaise crater 
and the crater at the summit showed during Professor Heilprin's 
visit a new poenomenon. Mud was thrown up in high columns. 
Heretofore the mud was bubbled or boiled out and flowed down- 
ward in huge streams. In the course of one eruption of the river 
Fallaise crater an enormous mass of intensely hot mud was 
ejected. This flow reached the rum distillery on the Vive planta- 
tion and extinguished all the fires there. This torrent of mud 
may invade the entire plantation, and as Vive is the centre of 
one of the richest districts of the island, it is feared the damage 
may be great. 

Mr. Clerc furnishes the following further details of Professor 
Heilprin's ascent. The party proceeded on mules to an altitude of 
700 metres, the ancient line of vegetation. From this point 
Professor Heilprin continued on foot, leaving the mule that had 
carried him up the steep hog back to the tree line. Upon reach- 
ing the site of Lake Palmiste the Professor found it completely 
dried up. He crossed the bed of the lake and continued on up 
the gently rising slope to the crater. Formerly the edge of the 
crater was a high bluff or shoulder. This, the explorer found, 
had fallen into the great crater, and he thinks this change prob- 
ably occurred at the time of the great explosion of May 20. This 
is the first important topographic alteration in Mont Pelee which 
has been noted and verifie 



542 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS, 

Professor Heilprin arrived at the edge of the summit crater 
at half-past one, and remained there for over two hours. When 
he returned to Vive he resembled a statue of mud. The weight 
of ashes and mud he carried on his person, the horrible atmo- 
sphere he breathed and the fearful difficulties he encountered 
reduced him to a condition of extreme fatigue, notwithstanding 
the fact that he ascenned Mont Pelee from the most accessible 
and easiest side. Professor Heilprin may return to Fort-de-France 
to-morrow, if he has sufficiently recovered by that time to do so. 

George Kenman and his party, who went to Morne Rouge, 
found on their return trip, that a bridge across the road had been 
carried away by a torrent of hot mud. Negroes managed to get 
the party across the obstruction. They took the carriages to 
pieces and carried them and the members of the party to the 
jther side of the river of mud, which was still hot. 

Science has begun a systematic and persistent assault upon 
.he batteries of the West Indian volcanoes. Helpless to check 
their detractive discharges, she has, none the less, sent hither the 
wise men from our schools, armed with exact methods and with 
delicate instruments, and they have assumed the task of observ- 
ing and recording whatever may be gathered for the stock of 
human knowledge. 

A SINGULAR PHENOMENON. 

Among these eminent scientists is Professor T. A. Jaggar, 
of Harvard University. "To my mind," he said, "the most 
interesting point about the Pelee eruption is the fact that the 
matter, thrown out of the volcano in a vertical direction, afterward 
took a horizontal shoot, and, while it is too early yet to attempt a 
definite explanation of this singular phenomenon, I am inclined 
to believe that the matter was thrown to a very great height, and, 
following the law of gravitation, descended with great velocity — a 
velocity comparable, perhaps, with the swiftness of its ascension, 
especially as it neared the crater again. 

" Here it encountered the matter in ascension, and was, accord- 
ingly, deflected in a horizontal direction. This action was like a 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 543 

blowpipe effect, and shot the flame in the direction of St. Pierre and 
the vessels lying in the roadstead. The intense heat from the blow- 
pipe cut a patch through a certain section only, for there is a very 
well defined line of demarcation between the living vegetable mat- 
ter and the ashen path. 

" As far as I could observe, as we passed along the coast, no 
large stones nor solid matter of any kind were thrown out of Pelee. 
It may be that there are some very small fragments of solid rock 
lying under the heaps of ashes with which the streets of St. 
Pierre are heaped, but we will not know the exact nature of the 
matter ejected until a critical examination of the ground and the 
ejected material is submitted to careful analysis. 

" I am inclined to believe that the matter belched forth was 
almost altogether pulverized rock or the earthy and mineral 
matter of which those mountains and the bowels of Pelee are 
composed. This matter, when blown to dust by the terrific ex- 
plosive forces, resembles ashes, or ' Portland cement,' and when 
mixed with steam and wet by the rains appears as gray mud. 

" As to the character of the gas that is believed to have ac- 
companied the ejected matter, I am not prepared to express a 
definite opinion until I have made careful analysis. It may have 
been carbon dioxide, that consumed all other carbonaceous matter 
in its path, or some other gas, or it may have been merely the 
intensely hot steam. The union of oxygen and hydrogen and 
other elements may have produced the instantly disastrous effects 
that some attribute to asphyxiation by gas." 

FURTHER ERUPTIONS IMMINENT. 

I asked Professor Jaggar whether, in his opinion, there was 
any danger of further eruptions. He replied : ''Considering the 
fact that there have been several recurrent eruptions of both Pelee 
and Soufriere, and in view of the further fact that the one of May 
20, at Pelee, was of even greater severity than that of May 8, it 
may naturally be expected that there will be further convulsions. 

"Then again, the fact that the eruption at Soufriere, St. 
Vincent, occurred on May 7, and at Pelee on May 8, tends to show 



544 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

some sort of relationship or sympathy existing between the two. 
I am inclined to believe that they are on the same fissnre. 

This theory is further strengthened by the fact that the 
commander of the garrison at St. Lucia (lying midway between 
the two volcanoes) in using his range finder observed bubbles in 
the sea on a line between Soufriere and Pelee. They were, I 
believe, omitted from the submarine fissure, which becomes the 
subterranean fissures of Pelee and La Soufriere. Until there was 
what we call an 'adjustment' or ' compensation ' between the 
elements along this line, there will be recurrnt explosions or 
eruptions of more or less severity. If there had been scientific 
data at hand, the people of Martinique and St. Vincent would 
have been forewarned, for, as in 1812, local earthquakes were felt 
around La Soufriere for about twelve months preceding the erup- 
tion of May 7. 

We made another visit to St. Pierre and found that 
Mont Pelee was in a complacent humor. Its head was 
shrouded in cloud, and a few sofatari were puffing along its 
sides, but there were no unholy exhibitions of strength or 
spite, and no thunder or shakes. The sun shone into the broken 
streets with such vehemence that two of the pilgrims were over- 
come and had to be soaked about the head with water. It was 
blazing weather, almost as fierce as that of New York in August, 
but not quite — seriously, not quite. 

BURNING THE BODIES. 

And what a scene of desolation this sunlight falls upon ! It 
was stern in the blackness of yesterday's eruption, but the white 
glare to-day lights new woes into being. Humanity stirs among 
the ruins again. A dredge came from Fort-de-France this morn- 
ing, with a few soldiers, as guards, and seventy-five or eighty 
negro laborers. They will not try to clear the streets. They will 
open a few safes to recover treasure, but chiefly they will burn 
the bodies that still lie under the tumbled walls and are half 
buried in the ash. There has been a rainfall over night, and 
where the dust kicked into the clouds about us yesterday, to-day 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 545 

we plunge about in mud, the finest, the slimiest, most clinging 
mud you can imagine. 

Everything reeks in it. A faint and faded stench of sulphur 
rises, as we slosh about, tripping against sunken rocks, and one 
man slips on the edge of a retaining wall and tumbles into a yard 
fourteen feet below, to the sorrow of his shins. 

I don't know how it is that we make light of these matters, 
or pretend to, as we slip and founder through the mire, but deaths 
we do not see will seldom haunt us, and some unfortunates who 
step into corruption that was alive the other day, feel disgust and 
nausea rather than horror. 

It has been given out that an overwhelming evidence of decay 
is issuing from this spot. It is not so. At two miles off shore I 
notice it, yet when traveling over the ground it is at least par- 
tially submerged under a smell of burned material— the smell of 
scorched wood, paper, cloth, rugs, food, a general indescribable, 
foul and pungent odor. 

NAUSEATING STENCHES. 

Still, one locates cadavers easily by the nose, and a few are 
made sick by them. You pass to the leeward of a corpse and the 
proof of death is so persistent that you look in that direction. You 
see nothing, perchance, among the heaps of fallen masonry, the 
prostrate trunks of palms, the iron fences and the rubbish of old 
tinware, covered as they are with gray, but if you have been 
among the like before you will know the signs. 

The human body, even of a lean West Indian, contains a con- 
siderable amount of oil. This oil has tried out in the torrid cli- 
mate and soaked upward through the ash, so that you find the 
figure stretched upon the earth in brown. Wind has blown the 
ash from some of the forms, so that the faces are plainly distin- 
guishable while in other cases the corpse is merely suggested to 
the eye. 

In the cemetery I found one man whose position, excepting a 
slight lifting of the hands, was that of rest — the attitude of one 
who has thrown himself upon a grassy bank to sleep, the head 

35-MAR 



546 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

thrown back, the arms extended, the legs apart. At a little dis- 
tance was another lying face down. In the debouch of a narrow 
street was one that was half skeleton already, the bones showing 
yellow white through the cooked flesh, and green and shining flies 
crawling over the head. 

CALM APPEARANCE ON A MUMMY FACE. 

Atop of a retaining wall, closing a yard that is eight or ten 
feet below the level of the impending terrace, lies a man with head 
hanging backward over the edge, and arms dangling over the 
stone work, too. The form is that of an Egyptian mummy, dried 
and blackened, but the expression does not denote fear and pain, 
such as a few of the visitors allege they discovered on the faces 
of these dead. Those I have seen denote calm. The visitations 
of dust for some days preceding must have persuaded those who 
were watching the mountain that this was to be only a passing 
fall. It was not the dust that killed ; it was gas, sulphuretted 
hydrogen possibly, and it made all who breathed it unconscious 
at the first inhalation. It was a merciful death. 

Those lying beneath the wreckage were not killed by blows 
of falling stones and timbers. They had passed all feeling. The 
supposed keeper of the cemetery with his keys fell where he stood. 
One figure crouched beneath a gravestone as if he feared what 
was coming, yet his collapse in that position may have been an 
accident. In front of a house containing thirty bodies is a carriage, 
recognized as that of a rich merchant who left his fine estate 
among the hills on the night before and came here for safety. He 
is dust. His beautiful place on the heights remains. The body 
of a girl in one house has fallen easily before her piano, as if she 
were at practice that morning. 

Often in walking over fallen walls I was conscious of bodies 
beneath, the stench rising through interstices in the stony mass. 
Some of the bodies were mere fragments, but that may have been 
because they were imperfectly burned. The methods of the 
laborers here are superficial. They do not search deep for the 
corpses, but when they find one they scrape together a few planks, 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 547 

shingles or shelves from the wreckage, lay them on the cadaver 
and set fire to it. Complete incineration is impossible in snch a 
case, but it probably dries the body and reduces the danger of 
contagion that is expected when the air clears enough to induce 
the flies to return in numbers. 

GROTESQUE SCENES. 

The negro workmen are mortally slow. They dawdle and 
talk, accomplishing less in a day than American laborers would 
do in an hour, though it must be said in their behalf that they 
have to contend, not only against the severities of sun heat but 
with the sting of the fire and the noisome exhalations from roast- 
ing carrion. Grotesque rather than terrible are the bodies as they 
peep from the timbers and the flames. 

Although the gas which destroyed this population, the heat 
of the houses as they burned afterward, the heat, too, of the fall- 
ing ash, which was like needle points of fire, scorched the bodies 
indoors and out, a few were partially preserved. One of the 
corpses that I found near the little park was first seen because of 
a foot protruding through the mud, and the bottom of this foot 
showed a skin typical of the negro. 

An early visitor to the scene of the disaster on opening the 
door of a bedroom found a woman and three children. The woman 
had fallen back on the rude couch that was her bed. Her pipe 
had slipped from her mouth andlodged against her breast. On a 
box at the head of the couch was a bowl of gruel and a fragment 
of bread. The children were lying, one upon the other, on the 
floor, and of this whole company it was only the child nearest to 
the door that had been scorched. Even the woman's single gar- 
ment was not burned. 

One of the most curious finds was that of a reporter in our 
party. He went into a bakehouse containing two arched ovens. 
One of these ovens was empty. In the other was a man lying in 
an easy attitude on his back, feet at the door, arms extended and 
knees slightly bent. What possessed him to hide in the oven ? 
In the tropics one seeks coolness, so he could not have gone there 



548 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

for sleep. He must have been terrified by the darkness, the 
oncoming dust, the hail of stones, but the sulphurous blast sought 
him even in that refuge. 

At this stage identification of bodies, save by doubtful acces- 
sories of rings, watches and the like, is impossible. All the bodies 
are blackened by fire, and most are half buried in ash. Those 
lying beneath the stone heaps will not be reached in years, at the 
present rate of progress of the native laborers, and we may be 
sure that when they are uncovered, practically nothing will be 
left of them. 

Buildings and environment predicate nothing of their con- 
tents. For instance, I found what was apparently a hospital or 
nurser}^, with iron bedsteads, close set together with evident fitness 
for use. These beds were half buried under foundation stones 
and sections of wall. 

Yet here I detected not a whiff of carrion odor. Where were 
the inmates of the place when the fire fell? Ah, true, they may 
have been nuns, and may have been at prayers in the cathedral, 
at the fire fall. Nowhere did I see any token of concerted action ; 
no crowd in a street, struggling toward the sea ; no company 
arrested in flight on the roads above the town ; no people huddling 
in corners, as if to get as far as possible from the fire. The 
corpses do not lie in the positions of people who had turned from 
danger. They are in every attitude, and face as often toward Mont 
Pelee as away from it. Their clothing is burned cff. Sex is 
seldom distinguishable. Death was mercifully swift. 

FER DE LANCE IS EXTERMINATED. 

There is more for the burners than to cremate these human 
remains. There are domestic animals that equally threaten 
health. In one stable can be counted half a dozen horses lying 
in the mud. One man was in the act of mounting his horse in a 
street when death came to both. Of dogs and cats and fowls, 
there is no telling how many are in the ruins. And in 
all this holocaust there is but one consolation : the dreaded 
fer-de-lance, or trigonocephalus, the most poisonous of ser- 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 549 

pents lias been exterminated for miles around Mont Pele and 
will not go back again till its mud hills have cooled and its streams 
have ceased to boil. It still abounds, however, in the jungles of 
the interior, and its obliteration from St. Pierre is a small advan- 
tage, because in the same region human life is impossible, too. 

Death here is grim enough, Heaven knows, yet in comparison 
with the reach of the devastation, single human creatures are 
small. The corpses are incidents. The destruction of a city that 
was an upbuilding of years of toil and a culmination of schemes 
of art and commerce, is more impressive and even sadder than 
those poor wrecks of flesh and bone deliquescing among the 
ashes. 

The visual sign of ruin is so great that there is no compari- 
son for it. One thinks of the burned districts of great cities, yet 
even here the likeness does not hold. In a burned district walls 
and chimneys will still be standing, a few windows will be intact, 
some streets will be clear, but in St. Pierre architecture does not 
exist ; it is a place of foundations and rubbish, with not one pane 
of glass for miles. There is not a yard of clear street. It is as 
if a blast of dynamite had shaken the town asunder. Streets and 
lanes lead nowhere, and the pathos is heightened by the names 
and numbers, stamped on metal in blue enamel — futile guides, 
read only by ghosts. 

RAVAGES OF DEATH. 

To stand in one of the streets, like the Rue Victor Hugo, 
formerly lined with attractive shops and gay with color, and see 
it now, with skeletons of houses on either side, the windows 
staring like sightless eyes, the doors gaping like suffocated mouths, 
the pavement heaped with stones, to note the fixity and silence, is 
to stand in the presence of death — death enthroned in fire and 
cloud, wielding thunders and breathing poison. The world has 
no other spectacle like that in Martinique to-day. 

So complete is the destruction that little remains to mark the 
character of the buildings. The parallelogram of masonry, 
scarred, blackened, dust-covered, might be a house, a stable, a shop, 



550 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

a factory, a church, a jail. Now and again there is a yard or court, 
with flower pots or a fountain that denotes a former home of the 
moneyed resident, but which was his house, which his office, which 
his carriage shed, which his servants' quarters, is mere guess. 

And this wide throw down of walls and blocking of streets 
makes it hard to estimate the size of the city. There is no doubt 
that the first reports of the fatality were exaggerated. They put 
the loss of life at 40,000. So near as one may learn from the 
imperfect methods and imperfect records, the population of St. 
Pierre was 26,000, and the outlying villages which were destroyed 
at the same time added but a few hundreds. 

BATHER'S BODY FOUND IN THE BATH. 

Few things among the ruins assures one better of the social 
status of St. Pierre than the baths. The Latin is not a persistent 
bather and in hot lands the people dip for coolness rather than 
cleanliness, yet here were marble basins where the man of leisure 
could not merely dabble but swim. One such is twenty feet long and 
fully eight feet deep. It was fed from mountain springs that prob- 
ably ran hot and sulphurous on the 8th. A body was found in one of 
these pools the other day. Had the bather gone into the water for 
coolness, or was he swimming when the suffocating gas enveloped 
the city ? 

Nor were the pools the only token of an advanced and decent 
form of living. The household ornaments though many of them 
are cheap and provincial, tawdy in color and flimsy in substance, 
are occasionally of a fineness and delicacy that bespeak the Gallic 
taste. Probably not a picture is left in the city to denote the 
popular likings, but crucifixes, lamps, bronzes, silver, and other 
such belongings are deftly wrought and beautiful. The altar of 
the cathedral must have been resplendent with its carved marbles, 
its brazen lamps and candelabra and its golden communion service. 

To the Yankee there is an assurance of ante-mortem industry 
on the part of St. Pierre that raises its people in his estimation and 
comforts his commercial instincts. This he finds in the abundance 
of American sewing machines that are found iuside the houses. 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 551 

A common form of the sewing machine in the poor towns of the 
tropics is that used by sailors, who sit on the deck and run the 
wheel by hand instead of by the foot, but these of St. Pierre are 
high grade, with all modern improvements. 

American bedsteads and machinery and probably American 
food stuffs were exported to Martinique, and there were a few 
pianos. What sounds arose from the jangling strings when the 
city fell ? Human ears did not hear them ; the hands that had 
touched the keyS were still, but the last voice of the dying city 
was a voice of music ; the cry of the pianos and the hum of the 
cathedral bells under the pounding of the stones. 

THE CITY HAD WARNING. 

The world knows the history of this last eruption, in the 
main, but its details it will never know. This much, however, is 
certain : St. Pierre had warning. So did Pompeii. A trust in the 
harmlessness of the adjacent volcano caused the fatality in each 
instance. The Governor of Martinique advised his people to remain 
at home. He believed in his own advice, for he was a victim to it. 
For more than fifty years Mont Pelee has been quiescent, save for 
a little harmless growling in 1871, and no man dreamed of the 
fate that was in store for this city of St. Pierre. People went about 
their work, the band played under the palms in the park, the 
planters hoed their cane, carts rumbled down to the sugar 
mills as if the cloud on Pelee meant no more than a shower. 

" Les Colonies," a little newspaper of the town, files of which 
are preserved at Fort-de-France, and are in possession of Chaplain 
McGrail, of the Dixie, contains some history that should have 
been construed as warnings. An issue of May 6 says that at five 
o'clock on the previous morning " torrents of smoke were escap- 
ing from the Terre Fondue." (Volcanic dust is nearly always 
called smoke.) The Riviere Blanche, flowing down a hollow of 
Pelee and emptying close to the city, " periodically swelled and 
supplied a volume of water five times greater than normal." It 
was bringing blocks of stone weighing fifty tons. A certain M. 
Landes went, just after noon, to L/Etang Sec (dry pool), on the 



552 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

mountain side, and saw a whitish mass come down with the speed 
of an express train. 

This was a flow of mud, giving off a "thick, white smoke." 
It submerged and destroyed the sugar mill at the north end of 
the town, known as the Factory Guerin. Later M. Landes 
reported a new branch at the bottom of Morne Lenard, which 
supplied the " lava." (There was no lava ; only mud.) The fac- 
tory, he thought, had been destroyed by a landslide, rather than 
a flow, though " muddy lavas " develop rapidly. The valley, he 
believed, had received the contents of the hollow knoAvn as L/Etang 
Sec. No earthquake was noted, for he believed the ocean acted 
in some way as a stop to the activity of the mountain. Meantime) 
the central peak of the volcano was taking on a threatening 
aspect. It was throwing up black and yellow matter that crum- 
t bled into dust on exposure to the air. 

WARNING IN THE DAY'S NEWS. 

And this significant conclusion is offered : ''It is necessary to 
fly from the valle} T s and live at a height, to avoid being submerged 
by the mud. Vesuvius has had only rare victims. Pompeii was 
emptied in time. Mont Pelee offers no more danger to St. Pierre 
than Vesuvius to Naples. But this morning the mountain was 
uncovered, and Morne Lacroix appeared with an opening one 
hundred metres long and forty meters high." And here is a 
paragraph in the last newspaper printed in St. Pierre. " We 
shall not publish to-morrow, the 8th, that being the Feast of the 
Ascension and a holiday." Significant assurance! "Les Colonies" 
will never appear again. 

An excursion to Mont Pelee was fixed for the Sunday before 
the tragedy. It was advertised in St. Pierre. A local club of 
hunters and gymnasts took the lead in this, and tickets were 
issued at three francs each. It appears uncertain whether this 
picnic was attempted, for there had been a good deal of threaten- 
ing on the part of Pelee for days before that time. 

On the 25th of April a guide, Gulien Roman, of Morne 
Pahillot, made a trip to Morne L,acroix, the peak of the volcano, 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 553 

"a vast area, with a hollow of six hektares, on one side of which 
opens the crater, a great syrup kettle of rectangular shape, thirty 
meters long, twenty meters wide, filled with bituminous matter, 
which puffed up, allowing the escape of vapor and hot water. 
L'Etang Sec is now a reservoir which receives the waters that 
spurt from the crater." 

BELIEVE THEY ARE DOOMED. 

A later account continues : " Since this ascent we have been 
getting ashes. No guide has been there since. What has to- 
morrow for us ? Will there be a flow of lava, a rain of stones, 
jets of asphyxiating gas — what submerging cataclysm? — or shall 
we have a flood of mud ? When the secret is known, many men 
will not be able to keep it." This remarkable utterance was made 
on May 5. 

On the night of May 3 a considerable panic occurred among 
the congregation in the cathedral, and a dust fall came from the 
mountain, so blinding that a traveler barely escaped falling into 
the Riviere Blanche. 

An excursionist who went as far as the foot hills reported 
ashes on the road 15 centimeters deep, "giving one the illusion 
of walking delightfully through the gray flour of America, but, 
unfortunately, this dust rises in whirlwinds at the least breeze 
and you must tie a handkerchief over your face. Vegetation is 
covered with this gray snow. In the country there is desolation, 
dryness and silence. Birds lie smothered under the bushes, and 
in the fields the restless cattle snort and roar." 

A paper of May 5 says: " On Saturday evening, toward 6.30, 
the excursionists from Fort-de-France tried to approach Precheur, 
to see the phenomena. The coast was so obscured by steam and 
cinders that they put back to sea. Some returned by land, afoot 
and horseback. From 3 P. M. there had been no communication 
between St. Pierre and Precheur. Toward 7 P. M. the cinder rain 
began again." 

On Sunday and Monday evening the electric lights went out 
and the people were disquieted. Editorial comment was calming, 



554 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

however, as the failure of the lights was ascribed to atmospheric 
conditions. 

Fort-de-France was as badly frightened as was St. Pierre. 
"The people (of the Fort) believe they are doomed. Not half of 
the regular population remains. The top of Pelee has not been 
blown off, and that makes us fear there is not vent enough." 

The activities of the 5th of May are summarized in this 
manner : " The eruption seems to enter a calmer state. Cinders 
continue to fall on Precheur and other leeward towns. The fall 
of ash in St. Pierre increases its depth to four millimeters. On 
Precheur are five centimeters. On the middle of the mountain 
the depth is a foot. Country places are abandoned for lack of 
food and water, and trees are breaking under the weight of 
cinders. 

"On the night of the 4th there were lightning, thunder and 
tongues of fire. The latest news is that the Riviere Blanche is 
overflowing and threatening the destruction of the Guerin factory. 
M. Guerin is going from St. Pierre with his family. Latest : At 
noon the sea withdrew 600 meters from the bank, and rushed 
back. The people are in a state of madness. Thousands run 
toward the coast. Children are crying, women lamenting, shops 
are closing. The wind is strong from the southwest. The Guerin 
factory has been swept by the sea and destroyed." 

FATE DOOMED THE GUERIN FAMILY. 

On the next day, the 6th, the opinion is expressed that the 
inrush of the sea was not due to volcanic action, but to the land- 
slide—the fall of a mass of earth and lava. For days the Riviere 
Blanche has been running dark and swift. At 2 o'clock on Sun- 
day morning it was a torrent. M. Eugene Guerin was sad and a 
little nervous. They begged him to leave the place, but he 
refused, breakfasting quietly with his wife and father. His yacht 
was ready to sail for Fort-de-France. Work at the Guerin factory 
has been suspended from the evening of May 2nd because of the 
cinders. On the afternoon of May 5th a mass of boiling water 
gushed from the mountain in great bounds, poured down the 



GRAPH rC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 555 

mountain, and ingulfed the Guerin household, also causing the 
Carbet — the Guerin yacht— and the Precheur to founder. 

After this the water, laden with mineral matter and whirling 
rocks along in its current, leveled a considerable stretch of country, 
forming a plain of mud from Isnard to the sea. This plain is 
many hundred meters broad and fifty meters thick. People be- 
gan to flee the district. The Guerins would have found refuge in 
their yacht had not the father remained to give an order. He 
alone of the family was saved. The factory and its surroundings 
disappeared in the mud, all except the iron chimney and its four 
guy wires, and four iron lighters, one of which, with its load, 
turned a complete somersault. The sugar scales projected from 
the water. One workman escaped by hiding behind a parapet. 
It is known that twenty-four others were killed. 

Bven this warning does not seem to have produced a great 
effect in St. Pierre, and instead of advising the people to fly the 
town the local editor says this : " Shall we have an earthquake ? 
Not probable. The crystals filling the air make sore eyes and 
irritate the throat, so the people, especially the children, should 
stay indoors. " 

When the city was destroyed its people were taking up a col- 
lection for the families of those who had perished in the Guerin 
factory. Impossible that the charities of the world would next 
day be asked for Martinique ! 

MONT PELEE STANDS IN GLOOMY GRANDEUR. 

What is this new world Vesuvius that has repeated the deadly 
miracle of more than eighteen hundred years ago ? Mont Pelee, 
the tallest of the mountains on the mountainous island of Mar- 
tinique, is, or was, 4,400 feet in height. Reports that the explosion 
jhad blown away 1,500 feet of its altitude are wrong. The con- 
cealment of the top by clouds until last evening made any sort of 
guessing possible, but Mont Pelee has lost little or nothing of 
elevation. When the eruptions simmer down and the ash emerges 
gently- the cone will be rebuilt by these falls and some hundreds 
of feet may in time be added to the crater's rim. 



656 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

Our geographies used to describe a volcano as a mountain 
belching fire, smoke, and melted lava. Except that it need not 
be a mountain, does not emit fire, does not smoke and does not of 
necessity throw lava, this definition is right. A volcano is a vent 
for the subterranean heat ; therefore it is, first of all, a hole in the 
ground. The building of a cone of ash and cinders about the hole 
is a mere accident. No fire issues from the earth, because there 
is no fire to issue. The earth's interior, if not wholly molten, 
contains at least large spaces or cavities filled with the rock in, 
the condition of iron as it runs from a foundry cupola. It is not 
on fire ; it has never cooled. 

Some geologists deny this. They regard the planet as prac- 
tically solid to the center, and attribute earthquakes and eruptions 
to the slipping of faulted rock beds, to chemical action, even to 
magnetic disturbances ; anything but the easy thing. A molten 
mass beneath a cooling crust explains it all. A crack in the 
earth, a submarine landslide, like that which lowered the floor of 
the Caribbean over 2,000 feet a few days ago, will let in vast 
quantities of sea water against the hot rock. Steam will be 
generated. Steam will seek exit in some fashion. 

EXPLANATION OF THE PHENOMENA. 

The volcanoes are safety valves. It seeks the air through 
them. That in this process of eruption quantities of the rock 
lining the chimney will be cast out with the steam is certain. If 
the ocean water falls to a great depth, it will bring lava with it. 
Even the rock masses borne to the surface will generate friction, 
and will be heated against the volcano's throat. And, again, lava 
may be forced out by a local collapse of the earth's crust. But of 
fire there is none, except what is due to a momentary explosion of 
gases. The glow of a crater on the under side of the dust clouds, 
which are commonly called smoke, gives an impression of it, to 
be sure, and the ejection of red hot stones will look like streaks of 
flame at a distance. Then there is lightning, which is usually to 
be seen playing above a crater in time of eruption, and may be 
supposed to be an emergence from the crater itself. This light- 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 557 

ning is an electrical exchange between the hot and humid clouds 
originating in the volcano and those passing in a cooler stratum 
of air. 

On our first sight of Pelee, as the Dixie sailed by at 4 o'clock 
in the morning, the mountain's top was buried in masses of vapor, 
from which issued bolts of lightning from time to time, and as day 
broke we saw the so-called smoke column lifting into the forms of 
cumuli, or thunder heads, a layer of brown ash streaking the 
lower part of the cloud. 

NO OUTPOUR OF LAVA. 

In these West Indian eruptions, of Pelee and Soufriere, there 
is no output of lava. The splinters of stone that are hurled for 
miles around the country, whenever one of these peaks blows off, 
are lava, if you like, but old lava, ripped from the crater's side 
and not a flow. No molten material has shown itself in Martinique 
or in St. Vincent. The devastating materials are ash and mud, 
and the mud is ash mixed with hot, sulphurous water. The out- 
cast stones are gray, usually porous, small, light, with crystalline 
deposits in their cavities. A few solid materials have fallen, and 
there has been a little pumice — the froth of lava, so tenuous and 
filled with air cavities that it floats on water. Many pounds of it 
have drifted against the beaches of the Windward Islands since 
Pelee was in eruption. 

We do not associate mud with sublimity, but the gloomy 
mass of Pelee has a Satanic grandeur. Every green thing has 
been burned and swept from its sides, and from its foot in the 
ocean to its top in the clouds, no living thing is seen. The sea- 
ward side of its crater has been blown out for a thousand feet, 
disclosing it as a funnel-shaped pit with steam pouring from a 
vent in the bottom. 

Numerous small craters, fumaroles and solfatari, that change 
their places almost while you look at them, belch steam, some- 
times, clear, silvery white, again a dirty yellow, and these vents 
extend down the mountain slope for miles. 

The monster has been fearfully scarred in these late erup- 



558 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

tions, and has poured out millions of yards of ash and slime. 
What was the Riviere Blanche is now a mass of mud, which has 
the form of a glacier and has stopped just at the walls of the 
northern part of St. Pierre, rising above them to a height of thirty 
feet or so, and doubtless burying detached houses in that quarter. 
This mud forms a tract a mile wide and two miles long, and 
although its surface seems smooth, except for the channeling of 
rains it is really pierced by many vents, through which issues steam, 
either from the earth's depths, or liberated from the bottom of the 
mass itself. Immense gutters have been worn into the mountain 
by the flow of hot water — gutters that are really canyons, hun- 
dreds of feet in depth. Their color is a dark and slaty gray. The 
forms of hillocks and buttresses are much sharper than would be 
supposed, considering that they are mud, but the material has 
lain there for centuries and has solidified almost into rock. The 
cliffs that overhang St. Pierre and were the site of a famous 
botanic garden, are merely the edge of a mud flow, heavier than 
occurred in this last eruption. 

CLOUD-CAPPED AND GLOOMY. 

From the north end of the island the gradient to the summit 
is but 9 per cent. — a slow, steady ascent like a sea swell, but from 
St. Pierre the rise in some places is so steep as to make parts of it 
inaccessible. Nearly all of these West Indian peaks are cloud- 
capped for weeks together, but Pelee is especially obscure at pres- 
ent. When the clouds do lift or part for a moment there is seen 
a shattered pyramid, torn and twisted into a hundred lesser peaks, 
some vertical, one or two overhanging. Each successive eruption 
is blasting away its crater more and more on the seaward side, 
disclosing an amphitheater that would hold a town. Its heaved, 
rent flanks, now clear, now dim with sulphur vapors, show pecu- 
liar tints in the changing lights. 

The tenderest silver gray of my lady's glove is its ground hue 
in the sun, and this likeness is the better suggested because of a 
velvety softness of surface. Ash terraces, resembling the giant 
stairs of the western Bad Lands, have been built up, and where 



GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 559 

they take the light, they show a sulphurous whiteness, elusive, 

delicate as fresh snow, or grape bloom. In the midst of the recent 

mud stands, dark and castle-like, an old hill of eruptive material, 

a few hundred feet high, its sides draped with strings of stalactites 

of slime, and the new material solidifying about it like a frozen 

river. 

NO TRUE LAVA SEEN NEAR MONT PELEE. 

Whether you see Pelee as we saw it in early morning, with 
its vapor whitening in moon and starlight, then turning pink and 
orange in the dawn, as if the spirit of an opal were dwelling there, 
or you see it in the gloom of an eruption, it is strange and insub- 
stantial no less than diabolic — a chaos of wild forms — a some- 
thing aside from nature. Its steam does not usually issue in 
quick gusts, but raises heavily, sullenly, opening into great rolls 
of cloud, and as in the vents along the side, it changes color, showing 
now a dazzling white, anon a gray, then a dirty yellow or brown. 

A pulse of energy is felt in the crater, and there rises, instead 
of steam, a dark and curling column of dust. There has just de- 
scended a stream, perhaps two miles long, of what is locally called 
lava, but is a black, bituminous-looking mud, mantled with steam. 
A new chasm, a thousand feet in depth, has also broken on the 
seaward side, and on the northwest face is a vast series of rounded 
deposits, like Tartar tents, but the slime as it dries oftener col- 
lapses into roof shapes and Alpine outlines, which in time will 
sink and flatten. 

The whole north end of Martinique, a third of the island, 
has been covered with dust that gives to the forest the whitish 
look of our woods on a November morning when frost has formed. 
It is pallid, deathly and under blight. 

What surprises us is that the eruptions are subtle and silent. 
We have felt no earthquake, have seen no agitation of the sea, 
have heard no rumbling and roaring. The explosion of yester- 
day, that hurled stones to a distance of ten miles, was heard in 
Fort-de-France only as the cough of a dynamite gun. 

Pelee is sublime in the energy it stands for. The columns 
of steam and dust which are brandished from the crater are such 



560 GRAPHIC STORY OF AN EYE-WITNESS. 

destroying weapons that all human devices for injury are trifling 
in comparison. Its quiescence until a month ago made it safe for 
excursionists to scale it. There were no earthquakes before the 
overthrow of St. Pierre, as there were about Vesuvius before that 
mountain overwhelmed Herculaneum and Pompeii, although 
water flowing from it was warm last fall, steam vents appeared 
later, and noises were heard in April. 

It is not merely the central chimney that is eruptive now, but 
minor ones that have broken out on its side. The fumaroles and 
solfatari that have burst out in a four mile belt undoubtedly relieve 
the pressure and reduce the danger from an overflow at the sum- 
mit. The column of steam that is now writhing upward from the 
top is only a few hundred feet in thickness, but it is of wonderful 
dimension, as it widens over the surrounding sea and islands. In 
the great yet almost harmless outbreak of May 20, the steam and 
dust column ascended twenty-five miles into the air, spreading 
into the form of a pine tree, it is said, a form common to the 
output of Vesuvius in its active periods. 

One of the curious allegements of that erruption is that it 
tossed out fragments of human bones, which fell in Fort-de-France, 
ten miles away, one or two of them coming to the deck of the Cincin- 
nati in that port. It is most unusual conduct in bones to endure 
a drop of miles to a ship's deck. The bombardment of stones was 
more serious, yet, excepting the case of one soldier who was 
scratched on the temple, there were no casualties. 

Professor Russell, of Michigan University, said that it would 
be futile at this time to attempt a scientific explanation of the 
cause of these eruptions. He considered them somewhat unique. 
Professor Russell is evidently of the opinion that there is a close 
sympathy between La Soufriere and Pelee, but would not attempt 
to explain why the ejected matter at Pelee was different from that 
thrown out by La Soufriere. The former was "ashes" or pow- 
dered rock, while La Soufriere threw out a sort of pumice stone 
or scoria. He says no man can safely predict whether these vol- 
canoes will continue in eruption, or whether others in the vicinity 
will become active. 



\lll 



2 2 1902 



